Seoul vs Tokyo - Cost of Living Comparison

Seoul Tokyo
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1513
$1601
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4451
$4144
🏠 One person rent
$716
$758
🏘️ Family rent
$2021
$1547
🍽️ Food expenses
$531
$444
🚐 Transport expenses
$161
$289
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2992
$2687
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
18 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
95
100
🏙️ Population
9.67M
14M

The cost of living in Seoul is 6% less expensive than in Tokyo. Cities ranked 3075th and 2691st ($1513 vs $1601) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 9th in South Korea and Japan, respectively. Check South Korea vs Japan comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2 months in Seoul compared to 1.7 months in Tokyo. Seoul ranked 1st best city to live in South Korea vs Tokyo ranked 1st in Japan, while ranked 15th and 1st among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Seoul vs Tokyo infographic

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Prices in Seoul vs Tokyo

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

Seoul Tokyo
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$6.75
$6.36
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$37.9
$42.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.15
$5.12
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.81
$3.82
☕ Cappuccino
$4.14
$3.27
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.67
$1.16
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$763
$933
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$517
$540
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2604
$2117
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1603
$1156
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$107
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$193
$166
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$24.7
$32.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.07%
1.52%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$10468
$8010
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6333
$4489
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.02
$1.11
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$44.2
$61.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$10.4
$28.3
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.46
$1.19
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.33
$1.43
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.31
$1.5
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.57
$2.09
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.53
$2.07
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.4
$13.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11
$7.69
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$43.5
$20.1
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.76
$6.54
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.87
$2.99
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.52
$5.53
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.24
$4.53
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.09
$4.13
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.33
$3.21
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.74
$0.58
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.68
$1.46
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.5
$8.26
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.4
$2.13
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.58
$4.26
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.28
$15.1
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$7.04
$2.96
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.44
$1.34
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.28
$1.89
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$54.5
$57.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$11.4
$13
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$37.2
$31.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$12
$26.6
👖 Brand Jeans
$60.7
$41
👟 Brand Sneakers
$75.4
$60
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$414
$497
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$20193
$15685

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1102
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1128
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1074
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1031
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$921
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1060
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1104
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1089
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1057
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1135
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1081
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$933
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1022
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1059
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1002
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1060
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1043
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1013
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1046
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1054
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$977
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$995
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1320
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1060
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1032
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$985
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1553
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$993
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$942
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$996
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$1008
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1030
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$962
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$989
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1149
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1009
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$880
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1132
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1558
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$978

Cities near Tokyo

Distance City Cost of living
12 km or 7.3 mi Musashino
$1102
12 km or 7.4 mi Komae
$1101
12 km or 7.5 mi Mitaka
$1120
13 km or 8 mi Wako
$1055
13 km or 8.4 mi Kawaguchi
$1099
14 km or 8.5 mi Hirai
$1065
14 km or 8.9 mi Toda
$1011
14 km or 8.9 mi Chofu
$1109
14 km or 9 mi Nishitokyo
$1087
15 km or 9.3 mi Asaka
$1039
15 km or 9.4 mi Warabi
$996
16 km or 10 mi Niiza
$1044
17 km or 10 mi Higashikurume
$1044
17 km or 11 mi Koganei
$1058
18 km or 11 mi Kawasaki-ku
$1008
18 km or 11 mi Inagi
$1056
18 km or 11 mi Soka
$1061
18 km or 11 mi Kiyose
$1023
19 km or 12 mi Shiki
$1003
19 km or 12 mi Kawasaki
$1094
19 km or 12 mi Urayasu
$1083
20 km or 12 mi Fuchu
$1083
20 km or 12 mi Saitama
$1081
20 km or 12 mi Kodaira
$1059
20 km or 12 mi Yashio
$1028
21 km or 13 mi Kokubunji
$1040
21 km or 13 mi Higashimurayama
$1023
21 km or 13 mi Miyoshi
$1007
22 km or 14 mi Ichikawa
$1059
22 km or 14 mi Matsudo
$1034
23 km or 14 mi Misato
$1028
23 km or 14 mi Fujimi
$1008
23 km or 14 mi Kunitachi
$1037
23 km or 14 mi Tama
$1033
24 km or 15 mi Tokorozawa
$1026
24 km or 15 mi Koshigaya
$1019
25 km or 15 mi Tachikawa
$1047
25 km or 15 mi Higashiyamato
$1021
26 km or 16 mi Yoshikawa
$1022
26 km or 16 mi Fujimino
$1023