Seoul vs Tokyo - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Seoul Tokyo
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1296
$1679
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3195
$4119
🏠 One person rent
$624
$813
🏘️ Family rent
$1077
$1422
🍽️ Food expenses
$438
$448
🚐 Transport expenses
$132
$307
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$3066
$2429
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
18 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
99
100
😀 Quality of life
95
96
🏙️ Population
9.67M
14.3M

The cost of living in Seoul is 23% less expensive than in Tokyo. Cities ranked 4545th and 3273rd ($1296 vs $1679) 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 2.4 months in Seoul compared to 1.4 months in Tokyo. Seoul ranked 1st best city to live in South Korea vs Tokyo ranked 1st in Japan, while ranked 16th and 9th among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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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
$7.13
$7.52
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$45.4
$43.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.97
$4.99
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.36
$3.71
☕ Cappuccino
$3.47
$3.41
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.44
$1.41
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$717
$1130
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$459
$583
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1281
$2080
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$818
$1045
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$98.8
$90.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$152
$140
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$14.5
$30.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.02%
1.87%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$24031
$10558
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$10129
$5002
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.01
$1.3
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$40.1
$76.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$7.36
$28.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.17
$1.08
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.82
$1.51
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.4
$1.58
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.98
$5.4
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.79
$2.27
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13
$11.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.93
$7.38
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$25.3
$19.9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.15
$4.99
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.06
$2.61
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.02
$4.41
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.7
$6.21
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.05
$3.64
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.37
$3.43
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.68
$0.56
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.46
$1.3
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.3
$9.42
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.86
$1.76
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.98
$3.89
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.33
$10.4
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.6
$3.17
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.88
$1.37
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.15
$1.36
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$45.8
$63.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$9.18
$12.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$52.1
$40.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$14.3
$21
👖 Brand Jeans
$49.6
$49.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$64.7
$56.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$480
$688
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$19916
$17493

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
$1089
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1052
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1029
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1031
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$868
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1152
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1094
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1455
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1313
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1090
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$943
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$894
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1053
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1040
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1022
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1179
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1010
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1001
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$985
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1032
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$977
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$982
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1061
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1045
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1019
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1108
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1557
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1033
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1048
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1016
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$819
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$952
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1062
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1128
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$917
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$852
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$865
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$993
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1562
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$971

Cities near Tokyo

Distance City Cost of living
12 km or 7.3 mi Musashino
$1131
12 km or 7.4 mi Komae
$1133
12 km or 7.5 mi Mitaka
$1144
13 km or 8 mi Wako
$1073
13 km or 8.4 mi Kawaguchi
$1045
14 km or 8.5 mi Hirai
$1074
14 km or 8.9 mi Toda
$985
14 km or 8.9 mi Chofu
$1128
14 km or 9 mi Nishitokyo
$1123
15 km or 9.3 mi Asaka
$1051
15 km or 9.4 mi Warabi
$973
16 km or 10 mi Niiza
$1068
17 km or 10 mi Higashikurume
$1086
17 km or 11 mi Koganei
$1087
18 km or 11 mi Kawasaki-ku
$1199
18 km or 11 mi Inagi
$1070
18 km or 11 mi Soka
$1075
18 km or 11 mi Kiyose
$1064
19 km or 12 mi Shiki
$1004
19 km or 12 mi Kawasaki
$1358
19 km or 12 mi Urayasu
$1080
20 km or 12 mi Fuchu
$1105
20 km or 12 mi Saitama
$1055
20 km or 12 mi Kodaira
$1101
20 km or 12 mi Yashio
$1037
21 km or 13 mi Kokubunji
$1075
21 km or 13 mi Higashimurayama
$1085
21 km or 13 mi Miyoshi
$1033
22 km or 14 mi Ichikawa
$1005
22 km or 14 mi Matsudo
$1084
23 km or 14 mi Misato
$1038
23 km or 14 mi Fujimi
$1009
23 km or 14 mi Kunitachi
$1070
23 km or 14 mi Tama
$1047
24 km or 15 mi Tokorozawa
$1091
24 km or 15 mi Koshigaya
$1107
25 km or 15 mi Tachikawa
$1094
25 km or 15 mi Higashiyamato
$1077
26 km or 16 mi Yoshikawa
$1053
26 km or 16 mi Fujimino
$1006