Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaifeng and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaifeng: $501 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kaifeng
Learn more

Kaifeng Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index

Jump to prices

Kaifeng

🇨🇳 China

$501

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Kaifeng versus $1,794 in Seoul.

Kaifeng $501
Seoul $1,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Kaifeng versus $2,863 in Seoul.

Kaifeng $791
Seoul $2,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,081 in Kaifeng versus $3,931 in Seoul.

Kaifeng $1,081
Seoul $3,931

Living in Kaifeng costs roughly 72% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaifeng is 63% below, Seoul is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 ¥11.83

$8.80 ₩11.7K

-79.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 ¥90.3

$68.4 ₩90.9K

-80.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ¥27.74

$7.54 ₩10.0K

-44.96%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ¥16.12

$4.23 ₩5,624

-43.03%

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

$0.38 ¥2.54

$1.63 ₩2,167

-76.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ¥1.06

$0.74 ₩985

-78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ¥6.12

$3.64 ₩4,843

-74.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$6.15 ₩8,175

-73.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥10.03

$2.01 ₩2,679

-25.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$3.13 ₩4,164

-51.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.79

$4.32 ₩5,744

-79.86%

Eggs

$0.90 ¥6.03

$3.61 ₩4,794

-75.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 ¥45.78

$17.83 ₩23.7K

-61.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 ¥15.81

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-77.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 ¥65.0

$25.80 ₩34.3K

-62.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.58

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-89.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.75

$3.38 ₩4,499

-70.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 ¥3.98

$5.81 ₩7,723

-89.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$6.41 ₩8,520

-90.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$3.75 ₩4,983

-83.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.88

$2.54 ₩3,375

-71.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.21 ¥1.40

$2.84 ₩3,782

-92.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.48

$1.11 ₩1,472

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ¥19.39

$3.35 ₩4,455

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 ¥98.7

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ¥6.62

$2.40 ₩3,185

-58.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.05

$3.37 ₩4,480

-37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 ¥0.98

$1.14 ₩1,521

-86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ¥7.79

$3.49 ₩4,643

-66.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ¥1.08

$0.63 ₩840

-74.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ¥23.91

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-59.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.40

$1.51 ₩2,005

-16.56%

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

$19.0K ¥127.3K

$29.3K ₩38.9M

-34.96%

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

$15.0K ¥100.2K

$28.2K ₩37.5M

-46.88%

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

$45.41 ¥304

$218 ₩289.2K

-79.12%

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

$4.89 ¥32.70

$35.15 ₩46.7K

-86.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.17 ¥34.55

$21.29 ₩28.3K

-75.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 ¥197

$58.1 ₩77.2K

-49.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.52 ¥70.4

$16.10 ₩21.4K

-34.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.69 ¥24.65

$11.31 ₩15.0K

-67.37%

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

$382 ¥2,553

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-80.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K ¥208.6K

$22.9K ₩30.4M

36.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.28 ¥289

$57.0 ₩75.8K

-24.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.17 ¥222

$33.39 ₩44.4K

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥482

$71.5 ₩95.0K

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.68 ¥305

$82.5 ₩109.7K

-44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 ¥803

$901 ₩1.2M

-86.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 ¥600

$612 ₩813.5K

-85.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ¥1,506

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ¥1,192

$1,266 ₩1.7M

-85.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 ¥3,861

$3,650 ₩4.9M

-84.18%

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 Kaifeng: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kaifeng

$164 32.7%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 192% $313

Accommodation & Living

Kaifeng

$90 17.9%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 582% $522

Clothing & Footwear

Kaifeng

$87 17.5%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 25.8% $23

Eating Out

Kaifeng

$65 13.1%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 181% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kaifeng

$55 11.1%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 394% $218

Sport & Entertainment

Kaifeng

$37 7.3%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 119% $44

Getting Around

Kaifeng

$2.6 * 0.5%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 2140% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Kaifeng and $901 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 532% 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: $14.00 in Kaifeng vs $68.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $477 per month, with Kaifeng cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Kaifeng

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

18:10 6:10 PM

1 h ahead of Kaifeng

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,676,159

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

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).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kaifeng Seoul 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Kaifeng
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

Kaifeng vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaifeng wins on cost – living expenses run 258% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaifeng the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 532% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $120 in Kaifeng versus $901 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 192% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $501 per month in Kaifeng versus $1,794 in Seoul – a 258% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $501 in Kaifeng versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaifeng but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Kaifeng the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Kaifeng 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.

Expats usually find Kaifeng gentler on the wallet – expenses run 258% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.