Beijing vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Beijing Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1065
$1444
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3114
$4192
🏠 One person rent
$605
$683
🏘️ Family rent
$1364
$1882
🍽️ Food expenses
$253
$510
🚐 Transport expenses
$108
$154
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1709
$3018
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
78
95
🏙️ Population
21.9M
9.67M

The cost of living in Beijing is 26% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4887th and 3641st ($1065 vs $1444) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 10th 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 1.6 months in Beijing compared to 2.1 months in Seoul. Beijing ranked 5th best city to live in China vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 583rd and 23rd among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Beijing vs Seoul infographic

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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
$3.9
$6.81
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$29.6
$40.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.54
$6.01
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.4
$3.8
 Cappuccino
$3.83
$4.06
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.5
$1.59
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$843
$758
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$487
$492
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2089
$2529
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1102
$1473
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$32.7
$115
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$50.3
$174
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$13.6
$23.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.35%
4.76%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$14972
$19740
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$8057
$10956
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.69
$1.08
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$35.5
$44.4
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.9
$9.8
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.19
$1.24
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.01
$2.18
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.53
$3.07
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.27
$3.34
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.97
$3.82
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.7
$11.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.23
$9.89
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.5
$40
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.06
$6.59
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$3.64
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.9
$6.04
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.23
$6.05
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.84
$3.94
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$3.25
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.34
$0.75
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.29
$2.39
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$10.5
$17.9
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.9
$2.44
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.64
$3.37
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.55
$4.99
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.54
$5.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.33
$2.34
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.94
$3.07
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$56.2
$49.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.44
$11
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$33.8
$24.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.69
$9.53
👖 Brand Jeans
$62.7
$61.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$85.6
$81.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$896
$368
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$27310
$19966

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Beijing

Distance City Cost of living
50 km or 31 mi Langfang
$733
58 km or 36 mi Zhuozhou
$713
58 km or 36 mi Sanhe
$772
78 km or 49 mi Gaobeidian
$633
87 km or 54 mi Bazhou
$650
109 km or 68 mi Tianjin
$688
135 km or 84 mi Renqiu
$583
137 km or 85 mi Zunhua
$678
139 km or 87 mi Baoding
$466
151 km or 94 mi Binhai
$667
155 km or 97 mi Tangshan
$677
163 km or 101 mi Zhangjiakou
$658
164 km or 102 mi Hejian
$587
176 km or 110 mi Chengde
$700
182 km or 113 mi Cangzhou
$633
189 km or 117 mi Huanghua
$607
189 km or 118 mi Anguo
$539
196 km or 122 mi Dingzhou
$549
197 km or 122 mi Qian'an
$643
198 km or 123 mi Luanzhou
$637
204 km or 127 mi Botou
$594
224 km or 139 mi Shenzhou
$592
228 km or 142 mi Xinle
$525
229 km or 142 mi Pingquan
$633
239 km or 148 mi Jinzhou
$545
241 km or 150 mi Xinji
$569
249 km or 155 mi Gaocheng
$527
249 km or 155 mi Hengshui
$650
252 km or 156 mi Laoling
$572
263 km or 164 mi Shijiazhuang
$486
265 km or 165 mi Datong
$707
272 km or 169 mi Jizhou
$598
273 km or 169 mi Qinhuangdao
$667
273 km or 170 mi Dezhou
$621
281 km or 175 mi Fengzhen
$640
282 km or 175 mi Huairen
$643
294 km or 183 mi Lingyuan
$620
296 km or 184 mi Nangong
$587
302 km or 187 mi Ulanqab
$640
314 km or 195 mi Binzhou
$506

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1101
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1144
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1087
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1056
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$986
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1069
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1106
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1121
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1081
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1152
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1097
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$983
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1120
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1124
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1054
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1063
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1072
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1127
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$987
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1020
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1077
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1041
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1256
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1088
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1024
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$949
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1542
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$973
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$924
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$986
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$911
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1002
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$880
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$940
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1005
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1009
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$903
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$967
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1560
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$963