Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,752 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,742 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,269 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,892 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,787 per month in Hong Kong vs $4,043 in Seoul, rent included.

Hong Kong costs about 58% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hong Kong and Seoul sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 105%, Seoul by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 HK$70.5

$8.59 ₩13.2K

4.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 HK$509

$54.3 ₩83.2K

19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 HK$50.9

$6.30 ₩9,659

3.17%

Cappuccino

$5.08 HK$39.77

$3.88 ₩5,954

30.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 HK$10.23

$1.72 ₩2,643

-23.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 HK$8.23

$0.86 ₩1,311

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.77 HK$53.0

$3.60 ₩5,511

88.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 HK$50.3

$5.94 ₩9,101

8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 HK$24.03

$2.22 ₩3,410

38.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 HK$17.21

$3.45 ₩5,288

-36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 HK$15.39

$3.13 ₩4,804

-37.38%

Eggs

$3.50 HK$27.45

$3.19 ₩4,886

9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.62 HK$201

$14.21 ₩21.8K

80.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 HK$79.7

$10.99 ₩16.8K

-7.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.56 HK$177

$34.74 ₩53.2K

-35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 HK$27.32

$7.97 ₩12.2K

-56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 HK$17.45

$3.46 ₩5,307

-35.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 HK$29.98

$5.43 ₩8,323

-29.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 HK$24.05

$6.69 ₩10.2K

-54.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 HK$17.80

$3.80 ₩5,830

-40.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 HK$17.77

$2.95 ₩4,516

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 HK$13.33

$2.63 ₩4,024

-35.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HK$13.39

$1.27 ₩1,947

34.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 HK$100

$3.23 ₩4,949

295.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 HK$153

$19.49 ₩29.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 HK$14.42

$2.42 ₩3,710

-23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 HK$21.03

$3.25 ₩4,977

-17.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 HK$13.29

$1.12 ₩1,710

51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 HK$501

$47.88 ₩73.4K

33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 HK$29.15

$3.56 ₩5,458

4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 HK$10.74

$0.54 ₩828

153.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 HK$115

$8.72 ₩13.4K

67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.08 HK$24.15

$1.25 ₩1,911

146.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.7K HK$302.8K

$28.3K ₩43.3M

36.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.2K HK$252.5K

$25.3K ₩38.8M

27.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$227 HK$1,778

$161 ₩246.1K

41.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.78 HK$139

$34.38 ₩52.7K

-48.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.40 HK$176

$22.41 ₩34.3K

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 HK$591

$57.0 ₩87.3K

32.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 HK$66.8

$23.23 ₩35.6K

-63.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 HK$98.3

$11.19 ₩17.1K

12.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$987 HK$7,730

$412 ₩631.7K

139.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K HK$169.2K

$23.7K ₩36.3M

-8.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 HK$583

$58.7 ₩89.9K

26.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 HK$304

$46.80 ₩71.7K

-16.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 HK$698

$78.3 ₩120.0K

13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 HK$1,102

$114 ₩175.0K

23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 HK$17.5K

$957 ₩1.5M

133.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 HK$12.1K

$604 ₩924.9K

155.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,752 HK$37.2K

$2,580 ₩4.0M

84.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 HK$23.8K

$1,308 ₩2.0M

132.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.9K HK$218.9K

$18.2K ₩27.9M

53.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.3K HK$135.6K

$9,223 ₩14.1M

87.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,166 HK$24.8K

$3,095 ₩4.7M

2.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

4.14

-4.11%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: May 30, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,235 in Hong Kong versus $957 in Seoul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong versus $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $424 in Hong Kong vs $500 in Seoul – so Hong Kong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hong Kong vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,752 in Hong Kong, $1,742 in Seoul – roughly 58% apart. Hong Kong costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,128 per month in Hong Kong and $2,613 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong and $54.0 in Seoul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,752 in Hong Kong and $1,742 in Seoul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,742, than in Hong Kong at $2,752. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,742 in Seoul to $2,752 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.