Beijing vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Beijing Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1029
$1383
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2645
$3421
🏠 One person rent
$589
$635
🏘️ Family rent
$1040
$1111
🍽️ Food expenses
$246
$484
🚐 Transport expenses
$98
$152
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$658
$1954
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
73
93
🏙️ Population
21.9M
9.67M

The cost of living in Beijing is 26% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 5355th and 4296th ($1029 vs $1383) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 6th and 2nd in China and South Korea, respectively. Check China vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.6 months in Beijing compared to 1.4 months in Seoul. Beijing ranked 11th best city to live in China vs Seoul ranked 2nd in South Korea, while ranked 2546th and 90th 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
$4.24
$7.28
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$27.8
$43.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.16
$5.99
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.12
$3.46
☕ Cappuccino
$2.82
$3.69
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.49
$1.66
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$850
$764
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$469
$460
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1549
$1372
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$839
$841
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$30.5
$97.1
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$46.5
$147
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$13.3
$16.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
3.51%
3.97%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$14720
$20727
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6180
$10845
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.56
$1.04
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$31.3
$44.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.61
$9.78
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.1
$1.15
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.82
$2.01
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.69
$2.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.1
$2.55
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.84
$3.27
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.3
$14.9
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.4
$9.59
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.5
$33
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.21
$7.35
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.65
$3.34
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.76
$5.41
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.34
$5.24
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.77
$3.68
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.88
$2.95
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.37
$0.8
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.18
$1.8
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.33
$17.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.79
$1.97
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.04
$3.12
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.55
$3.56
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.55
$3.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.7
$3.5
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.96
$1.3
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$59.4
$47.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.35
$10
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$33.7
$62.2
💇 Haircut, simple
$8.03
$16.7
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.1
$49.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$78.2
$67.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$713
$357
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$22823
$21347

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
$707
58 km or 36 mi Zhuozhou
$724
58 km or 36 mi Sanhe
$750
78 km or 49 mi Gaobeidian
$634
87 km or 54 mi Bazhou
$634
109 km or 68 mi Tianjin
$646
135 km or 84 mi Renqiu
$565
137 km or 85 mi Zunhua
$660
139 km or 87 mi Baoding
$456
151 km or 94 mi Binhai
$641
155 km or 97 mi Tangshan
$688
163 km or 101 mi Zhangjiakou
$652
164 km or 102 mi Hejian
$558
176 km or 110 mi Chengde
$694
182 km or 113 mi Cangzhou
$638
189 km or 117 mi Huanghua
$619
189 km or 118 mi Anguo
$533
196 km or 122 mi Dingzhou
$574
197 km or 122 mi Qian'an
$616
198 km or 123 mi Luanzhou
$614
204 km or 127 mi Botou
$564
224 km or 139 mi Shenzhou
$505
228 km or 142 mi Xinle
$535
229 km or 142 mi Pingquan
$615
239 km or 148 mi Jinzhou
$527
241 km or 150 mi Xinji
$523
249 km or 155 mi Gaocheng
$527
249 km or 155 mi Hengshui
$454
252 km or 156 mi Laoling
$580
263 km or 164 mi Shijiazhuang
$505
265 km or 165 mi Datong
$748
272 km or 169 mi Jizhou
$499
273 km or 169 mi Qinhuangdao
$558
273 km or 170 mi Dezhou
$480
281 km or 175 mi Fengzhen
$642
282 km or 175 mi Huairen
$654
294 km or 183 mi Lingyuan
$601
296 km or 184 mi Nangong
$550
302 km or 187 mi Ulanqab
$629
314 km or 195 mi Binzhou
$741

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1134
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1097
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1090
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1078
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$918
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1178
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1138
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1435
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1307
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1175
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1004
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$948
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1112
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1098
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1080
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1196
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1065
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1049
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1066
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1088
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1023
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1028
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1120
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1098
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1076
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1171
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1568
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1079
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1141
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1078
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$874
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1059
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1110
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1153
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1068
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$920
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$924
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1037
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1565
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1020