Beijing vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Beijing Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1254
$1625
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3503
$4544
🏠 One person rent
$730
$784
🏘️ Family rent
$1543
$1986
🍽️ Food expenses
$293
$533
🚐 Transport expenses
$116
$184
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1565
$2725
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
77
94
🏙️ Population
21.9M
9.67M

The cost of living in Beijing is 23% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4012th and 2495th ($1254 vs $1625) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 6th and 1st in China and South Korea, respectively. Check China vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.2 months in Beijing compared to 1.7 months in Seoul. Beijing ranked 5th best city to live in China vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 627th and 33rd among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Beijing vs Seoul infographic

Share this infographic!

Prices in Beijing vs Seoul

Prices for goods and services in Beijing and Seoul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Beijing Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$4.7
$7.46
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$34.8
$38.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.93
$5.93
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.74
$3.67
☕ Cappuccino
$4.88
$4.61
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.54
$1.56
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1041
$983
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$592
$558
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2376
$2820
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1254
$1520
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$29.9
$119
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$45.7
$182
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$18.8
$23
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.94%
3.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$18338
$10867
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$9906
$11727
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.74
$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$37.1
$46.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$5.61
$13.4
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.22
$1.51
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.98
$2.22
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.03
$3.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$3.32
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.04
$4.8
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$18.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.83
$10.2
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13
$46
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.06
$6.4
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.05
$3.8
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.2
$6.65
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$6.3
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.9
$3.57
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.13
$3.15
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.43
$0.74
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.43
$2.51
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.3
$19
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.98
$2.36
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.62
$3.58
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.55
$5.36
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.65
$6.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.65
$2.5
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.15
$3.28
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$56.4
$56.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$10.6
$11.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$42.3
$76.4
💇 Haircut, simple
$11.9
$11.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$71.5
$59.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$91.2
$72
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$989
$402
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$28280
$18966

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Beijing

Distance City Cost of living
50 km or 31 mi Langfang
$711
58 km or 36 mi Zhuozhou
$658
58 km or 36 mi Sanhe
$665
78 km or 49 mi Gaobeidian
$664
87 km or 54 mi Bazhou
$666
109 km or 68 mi Tianjin
$786
135 km or 84 mi Renqiu
$671
137 km or 85 mi Zunhua
$671
139 km or 87 mi Baoding
$520
151 km or 94 mi Binhai
$706
155 km or 97 mi Tangshan
$762
163 km or 101 mi Zhangjiakou
$751
164 km or 102 mi Hejian
$672
176 km or 110 mi Chengde
$693
182 km or 113 mi Cangzhou
$756
189 km or 117 mi Huanghua
$663
189 km or 118 mi Anguo
$656
196 km or 122 mi Dingzhou
$680
197 km or 122 mi Qian'an
$670
198 km or 123 mi Luanzhou
$663
204 km or 127 mi Botou
$666
224 km or 139 mi Shenzhou
$665
228 km or 142 mi Xinle
$660
229 km or 142 mi Pingquan
$660
239 km or 148 mi Jinzhou
$663
241 km or 150 mi Xinji
$667
249 km or 155 mi Gaocheng
$668
249 km or 155 mi Hengshui
$796
252 km or 156 mi Laoling
$669
263 km or 164 mi Shijiazhuang
$547
265 km or 165 mi Datong
$787
272 km or 169 mi Jizhou
$655
273 km or 169 mi Qinhuangdao
$751
273 km or 170 mi Dezhou
$752
281 km or 175 mi Fengzhen
$649
282 km or 175 mi Huairen
$654
294 km or 183 mi Lingyuan
$662
296 km or 184 mi Nangong
$661
302 km or 187 mi Ulanqab
$693
314 km or 195 mi Binzhou
$675

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$929
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1030
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$954
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$914
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$933
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$925
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$998
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1068
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$966
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1151
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1075
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$932
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$962
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$966
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$925
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$949
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$961
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$924
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1021
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$985
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$939
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$924
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1074
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1016
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$936
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$953
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1466
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$917
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$862
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$932
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$919
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$926
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$907
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1021
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$855
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1046
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$867
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$921
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1465
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$950