Seoul vs Tokyo - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Seoul Tokyo
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1334
$1607
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3862
$4239
🏠 One person rent
$608
$789
🏘️ Family rent
$1634
$1714
🍽️ Food expenses
$488
$423
🚐 Transport expenses
$144
$282
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2911
$2474
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
18 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
95
99
🏙️ Population
9.67M
14.3M

The cost of living in Seoul is 17% less expensive than in Tokyo. Cities ranked 4104th and 3019th ($1334 vs $1607) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 3rd in South Korea and Japan, respectively. Check South Korea vs Japan comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Seoul compared to 1.5 months in Tokyo. Seoul ranked 1st best city to live in South Korea vs Tokyo ranked 1st in Japan, while ranked 30th and 3rd 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
$7.53
$6.11
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$40.1
$42.2
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.87
$5.36
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.5
$3.62
☕ Cappuccino
$3.57
$3.42
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.58
$1.13
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$754
$1018
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$422
$562
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2293
$2660
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1250
$1239
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$99.6
$104
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$155
$159
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$20.3
$32
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.85%
1.77%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$19682
$10251
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$11168
$5162
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.05
$1.33
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$44.5
$58.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.29
$27.7
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.17
$1.18
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.06
$1.53
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.08
$1.38
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.06
$3.36
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.38
$2.12
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$15
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.56
$7.35
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$32
$21.1
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.25
$4.81
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.37
$2.4
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.31
$5.57
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.9
$4.99
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.54
$2.78
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.82
$2.86
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.81
$0.63
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$1.39
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$20.3
$7.98
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.46
$2.08
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.17
$4.05
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.67
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.75
$3.36
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.16
$1.47
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.86
$1.45
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.3
$63.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$10.5
$12.9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$22.9
$29.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.53
$22.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$58.3
$54.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$82.4
$65.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$420
$553
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$20197
$15235

Cost of living in other countries

SeoulTokyo

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

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

Cities near Tokyo

Distance City Cost of living
12 km or 7.3 mi Musashino
$1136
12 km or 7.4 mi Komae
$1124
12 km or 7.5 mi Mitaka
$1150
13 km or 8 mi Wako
$1098
13 km or 8.4 mi Kawaguchi
$1081
14 km or 8.5 mi Hirai
$1089
14 km or 8.9 mi Toda
$1041
14 km or 8.9 mi Chofu
$1138
14 km or 9 mi Nishitokyo
$1137
15 km or 9.3 mi Asaka
$1088
15 km or 9.4 mi Warabi
$1033
16 km or 10 mi Niiza
$1107
17 km or 10 mi Higashikurume
$1111
17 km or 11 mi Koganei
$1103
18 km or 11 mi Kawasaki-ku
$1128
18 km or 11 mi Inagi
$1084
18 km or 11 mi Soka
$1104
18 km or 11 mi Kiyose
$1105
19 km or 12 mi Shiki
$1066
19 km or 12 mi Kawasaki
$1249
19 km or 12 mi Urayasu
$1099
20 km or 12 mi Fuchu
$1122
20 km or 12 mi Saitama
$1196
20 km or 12 mi Kodaira
$1124
20 km or 12 mi Yashio
$1071
21 km or 13 mi Kokubunji
$1099
21 km or 13 mi Higashimurayama
$1114
21 km or 13 mi Miyoshi
$1088
22 km or 14 mi Ichikawa
$1045
22 km or 14 mi Matsudo
$1164
23 km or 14 mi Misato
$1071
23 km or 14 mi Fujimi
$1084
23 km or 14 mi Kunitachi
$1089
23 km or 14 mi Tama
$1065
24 km or 15 mi Tokorozawa
$1169
24 km or 15 mi Koshigaya
$1164
25 km or 15 mi Tachikawa
$1109
25 km or 15 mi Higashiyamato
$1103
26 km or 16 mi Yoshikawa
$1090
26 km or 16 mi Fujimino
$1101