Seoul vs Tokyo - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Seoul Tokyo
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1444
$1556
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4192
$4005
🏠 One person rent
$683
$760
🏘️ Family rent
$1882
$1537
🍽️ Food expenses
$510
$426
🚐 Transport expenses
$154
$269
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$3018
$2885
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ 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 7% less expensive than in Tokyo. Cities ranked 3641st and 3238th ($1444 vs $1556) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st 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 2.1 months in Seoul compared to 1.9 months in Tokyo. Seoul ranked 1st best city to live in South Korea vs Tokyo ranked 1st in Japan, while ranked 23rd 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
$6.81
$6.15
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$40.4
$41.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.01
$5.09
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.8
$2.91
☕ Cappuccino
$4.06
$3.17
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.59
$1.13
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$758
$936
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$492
$540
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2529
$2411
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1473
$1067
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$115
$109
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$174
$170
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$23.4
$31.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.76%
1.67%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$19740
$7633
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$10956
$4193
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.08
$1.34
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$44.4
$53.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$9.8
$26.6
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.24
$1.14
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.18
$1.49
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.07
$1.71
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.34
$2.67
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.82
$2.19
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.7
$15.6
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.89
$7.03
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$40
$18.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.59
$5.39
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.64
$2.48
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.04
$5.89
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.05
$4.81
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.94
$3.25
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.25
$2.76
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.75
$0.59
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.39
$1.34
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$17.9
$7.08
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.44
$2.04
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.37
$3.94
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.99
$13.9
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.98
$3.86
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.34
$1.34
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.07
$1.45
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$49.1
$55.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$11
$12.6
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$24.8
$27.7
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.53
$17.6
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.1
$48.5
👟 Brand Sneakers
$81.9
$61.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$368
$508
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$19966
$15051

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
$1101
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1144
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1087
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1056
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$986
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1069
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1106
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1121
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1081
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1152
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1097
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$983
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1120
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1124
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1054
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1063
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1072
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1127
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$987
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1020
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1077
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1041
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1256
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1088
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1024
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$949
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1542
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$973
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$924
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$986
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$911
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1002
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$880
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$940
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1005
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1009
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$903
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$967
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1560
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$963

Cities near Tokyo

Distance City Cost of living
12 km or 7.3 mi Musashino
$1105
12 km or 7.4 mi Komae
$1099
12 km or 7.5 mi Mitaka
$1117
13 km or 8 mi Wako
$1052
13 km or 8.4 mi Kawaguchi
$1052
14 km or 8.5 mi Hirai
$1051
14 km or 8.9 mi Toda
$988
14 km or 8.9 mi Chofu
$1115
14 km or 9 mi Nishitokyo
$1101
15 km or 9.3 mi Asaka
$1041
15 km or 9.4 mi Warabi
$973
16 km or 10 mi Niiza
$1053
17 km or 10 mi Higashikurume
$1066
17 km or 11 mi Koganei
$1067
18 km or 11 mi Kawasaki-ku
$1009
18 km or 11 mi Inagi
$1064
18 km or 11 mi Soka
$1071
18 km or 11 mi Kiyose
$1052
19 km or 12 mi Shiki
$1009
19 km or 12 mi Kawasaki
$1101
19 km or 12 mi Urayasu
$1062
20 km or 12 mi Fuchu
$1091
20 km or 12 mi Saitama
$1063
20 km or 12 mi Kodaira
$1078
20 km or 12 mi Yashio
$1045
21 km or 13 mi Kokubunji
$1057
21 km or 13 mi Higashimurayama
$1062
21 km or 13 mi Miyoshi
$1036
22 km or 14 mi Ichikawa
$985
22 km or 14 mi Matsudo
$1143
23 km or 14 mi Misato
$1049
23 km or 14 mi Fujimi
$1031
23 km or 14 mi Kunitachi
$1042
23 km or 14 mi Tama
$1041
24 km or 15 mi Tokorozawa
$1102
24 km or 15 mi Koshigaya
$1133
25 km or 15 mi Tachikawa
$1056
25 km or 15 mi Higashiyamato
$1052
26 km or 16 mi Yoshikawa
$1060
26 km or 16 mi Fujimino
$1063