Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyan and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Longyan: $462 a month against $1,804 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Longyan
🇨🇳 China
$462
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,804
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $462 per month in Longyan vs $1,804 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Longyan $462
  • Seoul $1,804

A couple spends around $750 per month in Longyan vs $2,877 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Longyan $750
  • Seoul $2,877

A family of three spends $1,038 per month in Longyan vs $3,950 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Longyan $1,038
  • Seoul $3,950

Longyan is about 74% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Longyan sits 66% below the global median, while Seoul is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.95 ¥19.74
$9.10 ₩12.1K
-67.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.57 ¥151
$66.7 ₩88.6K
-66.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.96 ¥33.19
$7.49 ₩9,959
-33.78%
Cappuccino
$2.20 ¥14.72
$4.19 ₩5,569
-47.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ¥2.94
$1.55 ₩2,067
-71.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 ¥1.79
$0.79 ₩1,055
-65.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 ¥5.87
$3.64 ₩4,846
-75.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ¥10.68
$6.14 ₩8,164
-73.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 ¥13.90
$2.11 ₩2,811
-1.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.42 ¥9.47
$3.05 ₩4,051
-53.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.78 ¥5.22
$4.21 ₩5,599
-81.47%
Eggs
$1.48 ¥9.90
$3.54 ₩4,709
-58.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.63 ¥51.0
$18.02 ₩24.0K
-57.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.18 ¥14.61
$10.35 ₩13.8K
-78.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 ¥60.1
$26.47 ₩35.2K
-66.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 ¥12.63
$7.91 ₩10.5K
-76.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 ¥8.95
$3.44 ₩4,578
-61.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 ¥11.83
$5.64 ₩7,493
-68.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 ¥7.48
$6.41 ₩8,517
-82.53%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 ¥5.97
$3.71 ₩4,938
-76.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 ¥6.75
$2.52 ₩3,345
-59.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ¥2.90
$2.87 ₩3,816
-85.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.21
$1.16 ₩1,536
-58.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.42 ¥22.85
$3.37 ₩4,480
1.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.16 ¥81.3
$18.72 ₩24.9K
-35.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥5.21
$2.28 ₩3,036
-65.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 ¥7.89
$3.31 ₩4,397
-64.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 ¥1.08
$1.13 ₩1,497
-85.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$46.73 ₩62.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ¥7.10
$3.52 ₩4,684
-69.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 ¥3.12
$0.64 ₩849
-26.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.57 ¥50.6
$8.76 ₩11.7K
-13.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ¥8.76
$1.45 ₩1,930
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ¥129.1K
$29.7K ₩39.4M
-34.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.6K ¥104.3K
$28.2K ₩37.5M
-44.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.3 ¥443
$211 ₩280.4K
-68.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.68 ¥105
$35.36 ₩47.0K
-55.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.86 ¥59.3
$20.57 ₩27.4K
-56.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$57.7 ₩76.7K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.40 ¥29.44
$16.20 ₩21.5K
-72.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.61 ¥50.9
$11.37 ₩15.1K
-33.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$213 ¥1,425
$1,967 ₩2.6M
-89.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.7K ¥78.4K
$22.8K ₩30.3M
-48.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.86 ¥200
$57.5 ₩76.4K
-48.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.92 ¥99.8
$33.08 ₩44.0K
-54.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.0 ¥508
$70.1 ₩93.2K
8.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.4 ¥658
$84.3 ₩112.0K
16.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$878 ₩1.2M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$624 ₩829.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 ¥2,518
$2,513 ₩3.3M
-85.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,287 ₩1.7M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$30.4K ₩40.4M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,338 ¥8,949
$11.9K ₩15.8M
-88.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Longyan
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$485 ¥3,243
$3,599 ₩4.8M
-86.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
4.08
-15.20%

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

Last update for Longyan: 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
Longyan
$178
Seoul
$480 170% $302
Clothing & Footwear
Longyan
$99
Seoul
$110 11.8% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Longyan
$91
Seoul
$267 194% $176
Eating Out
Longyan
$75
Seoul
$185 146% $110
Sport & Entertainment
Longyan
$15 *
Seoul
$80 429% $65
Getting Around
Longyan
$4 *
Seoul
$58 1334% $54
Accommodation & Living
Longyan
- *
Seoul
$624

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 642% higher in Seoul, 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 $23.00 in Longyan versus $67.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $480 – making Longyan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Longyan
🇰🇷 Seoul
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
09:33 9:33 AM
1 h ahead of Longyan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,559,545
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 23, 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 23, 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
  • Longyan Seoul 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Longyan
  • 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
Longyan vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Longyan and in Seoul compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $462 in Longyan, $1,804 in Seoul – roughly 291% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Longyan compared to Seoul?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $693 per month in Longyan and $2,707 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Longyan and $67.0 in Seoul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 170% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $462, than in Seoul at $1,804. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Longyan or Seoul?
Families tend to lean toward Longyan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Longyan or Seoul safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Longyan and Seoul?
If budget matters most, go with Longyan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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