Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Seongnam Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Seongnam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,462 per month in Sapporo vs $1,661 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,145 per month in Sapporo vs $2,454 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Sapporo vs $3,248 in Seongnam, rent included.

Sapporo is about 12% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sapporo and Seongnam sit above the global median – Sapporo by 9%, Seongnam by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.67 ¥1,547

$5.82 ₩8,835

66.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.36 ¥4,376

$42.89 ₩65.1K

-36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ¥856

$4.46 ₩6,768

19.96%

Cappuccino

$3.68 ¥588

$3.88 ₩5,891

-5.15%

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

$0.99 ¥158

$1.52 ₩2,301

-34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥125

$0.79 ₩1,192

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 ¥561

$2.55 ₩3,870

37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 ¥1,010

$3.64 ₩5,532

73.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$2.24 ₩3,398

-29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥214

$2.12 ₩3,224

-36.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.30 ¥1,167

$3.23 ₩4,904

126.01%

Eggs

$1.95 ¥311

$3.07 ₩4,666

-36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ¥1,413

$9.42 ₩14.3K

-6.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,188

$7.38 ₩11.2K

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.71 ¥3,312

$34.03 ₩51.7K

-39.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ¥558

$7.91 ₩12.0K

-55.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 ¥474

$3.46 ₩5,261

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ¥685

$5.51 ₩8,371

-22.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 ¥645

$6.43 ₩9,770

-37.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.59 ₩5,456

-19.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ¥352

$2.96 ₩4,491

-25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ¥241

$2.56 ₩3,882

-41.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.95 ₩1,435

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ¥477

$3.22 ₩4,889

-7.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ¥1,318

$16.20 ₩24.6K

-49.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$1.82 ₩2,771

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ¥559

$1.89 ₩2,863

85.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 ¥279

$1.05 ₩1,594

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 ¥8,157

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 ¥724

$3.58 ₩5,440

26.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 ¥270

$0.54 ₩812

212.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 ¥3,278

$8.69 ₩13.2K

135.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.20 ₩1,818

1.67%

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

$34.8K ¥5.6M

$27.2K ₩41.3M

27.83%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$24.9K ₩37.8M

-30.56%

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

$317 ¥50.7K

$165 ₩250.4K

92.34%

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

$27.99 ¥4,476

$34.89 ₩53.0K

-19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.87 ¥7,017

$22.27 ₩33.8K

96.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 ¥8,748

$46.97 ₩71.3K

16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥1,811

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ¥2,126

$11.11 ₩16.9K

19.62%

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

$272 ¥43.5K

$410 ₩622.1K

-33.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$23.3K ₩35.4M

-51.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 ¥6,723

$59.4 ₩90.2K

-29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.24 ¥4,517

$46.64 ₩70.8K

-39.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.8 ¥8,288

$78.3 ₩118.9K

-33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ¥20.2K

$116 ₩175.6K

9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥84.2K

$440 ₩668.1K

19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥48.9K

$660 ₩1.0M

-53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 ¥121.5K

$1,085 ₩1.6M

-30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 ¥89.6K

$1,026 ₩1.6M

-45.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 ¥351.0K

$13.6K ₩20.6M

-83.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ¥254.0K

$5,955 ₩9.0M

-73.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 ¥279.7K

$4,328 ₩6.6M

-59.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

4.14

-55.80%

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

Last update for Sapporo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $527 in Sapporo versus $440 in Seongnam. 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 147% higher in Seongnam, 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 $27.00 in Sapporo versus $43.00 in Seongnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $434 – making Sapporo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sapporo vs Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,193 per month in Sapporo and $2,491 in Seongnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sapporo, 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 $27.00 in Sapporo and $43.00 in Seongnam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Seongnam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sapporo, where all-in costs run around $1,462, than in Seongnam at $1,661. In Sapporo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sapporo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sapporo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.