Kyoto vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Kyoto Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1148
$1334
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3260
$3862
🏠 One person rent
$437
$608
🏘️ Family rent
$1169
$1634
🍽️ Food expenses
$412
$488
🚐 Transport expenses
$202
$144
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1866
$2911
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
39 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
95
100
😀 Quality of life
91
95
🏙️ Population
1.46M
9.67M

The cost of living in Kyoto is 14% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4641st and 4104th ($1148 vs $1334) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 67th and 3rd in Japan and South Korea, respectively. Check Japan vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.6 months in Kyoto compared to 2.2 months in Seoul. Kyoto ranked 6th best city to live in Japan vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 112th and 30th among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Kyoto vs Seoul infographic

Share this infographic!

Prices in Kyoto vs Seoul

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

Kyoto Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$10
$7.53
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$39.8
$40.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.15
$5.87
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.35
$3.5
☕ Cappuccino
$3.26
$3.57
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.91
$1.58
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$513
$754
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$299
$422
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1602
$2293
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$896
$1250
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$65.9
$99.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$101
$155
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$29.8
$20.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
1.78%
4.85%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5311
$19682
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5383
$11168
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.56
$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$67.3
$44.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$27
$8.29
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.16
$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.81
$2.06
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.63
$3.08
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.02
$3.06
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.22
$3.38
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.07
$12.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.38
$8.56
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.9
$32
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.3
$7.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.38
$3.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.24
$5.31
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.82
$5.9
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$3.54
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.24
$2.82
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.64
$0.81
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.91
$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.1
$20.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.67
$2.46
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.04
$3.17
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$9.32
$4.67
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.14
$5.75
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$0.72
$2.16
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.83
$2.86
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$56.2
$48.3
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$12.7
$10.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$27.8
$22.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$17.7
$9.53
👖 Brand Jeans
$44.1
$58.3
👟 Brand Sneakers
$51.1
$82.4
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$359
$420
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$7056
$20197

Cost of living in other countries

KyotoSeoul

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Kyoto

Distance City Cost of living
7.5 km or 4.6 mi Otsu
$1048
9.5 km or 5.9 mi Muko
$1013
12 km or 7.2 mi Nagaokakyo
$1010
15 km or 9.1 mi Uji
$1027
16 km or 10 mi Yawata
$1018
17 km or 11 mi Shimamoto
$1026
18 km or 11 mi Joyo
$1014
18 km or 11 mi Kameoka
$1026
18 km or 11 mi Kusatsu
$1007
21 km or 13 mi Ritto
$1001
21 km or 13 mi Moriyama
$1004
22 km or 14 mi Kyotanabe
$1016
23 km or 14 mi Takatsuki
$1087
24 km or 15 mi Hirakata
$1091
24 km or 15 mi Yasu
$1005
26 km or 16 mi Katano
$1039
28 km or 17 mi Seika
$998
28 km or 18 mi Ibaraki
$1136
29 km or 18 mi Konan
$1005
29 km or 18 mi Nantan
$1030
30 km or 19 mi Neyagawa
$1100
31 km or 19 mi Kizugawa
$988
32 km or 20 mi Settsu
$1142
32 km or 20 mi Shijonawate
$1065
33 km or 20 mi Omihachiman
$1005
34 km or 21 mi Minoh
$1059
35 km or 22 mi Kadoma
$1101
36 km or 22 mi Suita
$1302
36 km or 22 mi Daito
$1065
36 km or 22 mi Moriguchi
$1117
36 km or 22 mi Ikoma
$1009
37 km or 23 mi Nara
$1008
37 km or 23 mi Koka
$1001
37 km or 23 mi Toyonaka
$1063
37 km or 23 mi Ikeda
$1046
38 km or 24 mi Kawanishi
$1056
38 km or 24 mi Inagawa
$1045
40 km or 25 mi Higashiosaka
$1106
40 km or 25 mi Yamatokoriyama
$979
41 km or 26 mi Itami
$1062

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1122
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1171
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1089
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1070
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$955
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1161
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1129
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1400
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1283
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1163
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1022
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$974
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1098
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1099
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1063
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1165
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1075
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1070
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1022
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1092
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1055
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1040
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1127
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1089
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1042
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1020
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1565
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1026
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$984
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1026
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$865
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1033
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1074
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1151
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1036
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$900
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$936
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1016
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1550
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1019