Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanzhong and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Hanzhong: $692 a month against $1,804 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Hanzhong
🇨🇳 China
$692
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,804
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hanzhong and in Seoul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hanzhong and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $692 in Hanzhong versus $1,804 in Seoul.

  • Hanzhong $692
  • Seoul $1,804

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,110 in Hanzhong versus $2,877 in Seoul.

  • Hanzhong $1,110
  • Seoul $2,877

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Hanzhong versus $3,950 in Seoul.

  • Hanzhong $1,527
  • Seoul $3,950

Living in Hanzhong costs roughly 62% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hanzhong is 49% below, Seoul is 33% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.75 ¥18.38
$9.10 ₩12.1K
-69.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.25 ¥122
$66.7 ₩88.6K
-72.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.53 ¥30.27
$7.49 ₩9,959
-39.52%
Cappuccino
$2.18 ¥14.55
$4.19 ₩5,569
-47.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ¥2.70
$1.55 ₩2,067
-74.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 ¥1.74
$0.79 ₩1,055
-67.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.53 ¥10.21
$3.64 ₩4,846
-57.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 ¥10.19
$6.14 ₩8,164
-75.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 ¥9.68
$2.11 ₩2,811
-31.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 ¥11.17
$3.05 ₩4,051
-45.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 ¥6.10
$4.21 ₩5,599
-78.38%
Eggs
$1.43 ¥9.53
$3.54 ₩4,709
-59.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.80 ¥78.9
$18.02 ₩24.0K
-34.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.17 ¥27.85
$10.35 ₩13.8K
-59.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.31 ¥69.0
$26.47 ₩35.2K
-61.05%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ¥11.23
$7.91 ₩10.5K
-78.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ¥7.35
$3.44 ₩4,578
-68.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ¥8.55
$5.64 ₩7,493
-77.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 ¥8.52
$6.41 ₩8,517
-80.19%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ¥4.31
$3.71 ₩4,938
-82.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 ¥4.72
$2.52 ₩3,345
-71.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 ¥4.19
$2.87 ₩3,816
-78.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ¥3.96
$1.16 ₩1,536
-49.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.44 ¥22.99
$3.37 ₩4,480
2.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 ¥65.6
$18.72 ₩24.9K
-47.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥5.18
$2.28 ₩3,036
-65.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ¥11.71
$3.31 ₩4,397
-47.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.91
$1.13 ₩1,497
-74.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.20 ¥122
$46.73 ₩62.1K
-61.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.24 ¥8.27
$3.52 ₩4,684
-64.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 ¥1.91
$0.64 ₩849
-54.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.58 ¥30.62
$8.76 ₩11.7K
-47.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ¥8.46
$1.45 ₩1,930
-13.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K ¥128.0K
$29.7K ₩39.4M
-35.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.8K ¥118.8K
$28.2K ₩37.5M
-37.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.30 ¥276
$211 ₩280.4K
-80.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.82 ¥38.95
$35.36 ₩47.0K
-83.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.63 ¥71.1
$20.57 ₩27.4K
-48.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.88 ¥273
$57.7 ₩76.7K
-29.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.70 ¥98.3
$16.20 ₩21.5K
-9.26%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 ¥34.07
$11.37 ₩15.1K
-55.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ¥4,703
$1,967 ₩2.6M
-64.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.2K ¥114.9K
$22.8K ₩30.3M
-24.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.35 ¥256
$57.5 ₩76.4K
-33.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.56 ¥251
$33.08 ₩44.0K
13.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.8 ¥494
$70.1 ₩93.2K
5.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.3 ¥617
$84.3 ₩112.0K
9.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$293 ¥1,958
$878 ₩1.2M
-66.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$184 ¥1,227
$624 ₩829.7K
-70.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$637 ¥4,260
$2,513 ₩3.3M
-74.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 ¥2,506
$1,287 ₩1.7M
-70.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,538 ¥23.7K
$30.4K ₩40.4M
-88.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,918 ¥12.8K
$11.9K ₩15.8M
-83.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hanzhong
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$588 ¥3,929
$3,599 ₩4.8M
-83.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.1
4.08
-24.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hanzhong: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hanzhong
$194
Seoul
$480 147% $285
Accommodation & Living
Hanzhong
$184
Seoul
$624 240% $441
Clothing & Footwear
Hanzhong
$109
Seoul
$110 1.2% $1.3
Eating Out
Hanzhong
$75
Seoul
$185 147% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanzhong
$58
Seoul
$267 362% $209
Sport & Entertainment
Hanzhong
$51
Seoul
$80 57.5% $29
Getting Around
Hanzhong
$22
Seoul
$58 163% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $293 in Hanzhong and $878 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 512% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Hanzhong vs $67.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $480 per month, with Hanzhong cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Hanzhong
🇰🇷 Seoul
🕒 Local time
06:46 6:46 AM
07:46 7:46 AM
1 h ahead of Hanzhong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,416,196
9,509,458 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hanzhong Seoul 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hanzhong
  • Seoul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Hanzhong vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hanzhong or Seoul?
Hanzhong wins on cost – living expenses run 161% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hanzhong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hanzhong or in Seoul?
On paper, salaries run 512% lower in Seoul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hanzhong compared to Seoul?
Rent for a central apartment: $293 in Hanzhong versus $878 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Hanzhong and in Seoul?
Childcare runs $703 in Hanzhong versus $1,967 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Hanzhong or in Seoul?
Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hanzhong or in Seoul?
At $692 in Hanzhong versus $1,804 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hanzhong but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Hanzhong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Hanzhong or Seoul?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Hanzhong compared to Seoul?
Safety-wise, Hanzhong and Seoul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Hanzhong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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