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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Sapporo vs $1,640 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,109 per month in Sapporo vs $2,448 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Sapporo vs $3,256 in Seongnam, rent included.

Sapporo is about 10% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sapporo and Seongnam sit above the global median – Sapporo by 11%, Seongnam by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.61 ¥1,532

$6.04 ₩8,895

59.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 ¥4,410

$42.21 ₩62.2K

-34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥842

$4.44 ₩6,546

18.92%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥600

$3.76 ₩5,543

0.27%

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

$0.97 ¥155

$1.55 ₩2,278

-37.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.79 ₩1,169

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥558

$2.50 ₩3,687

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 ¥1,005

$3.72 ₩5,488

69.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥240

$2.14 ₩3,146

-29.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥213

$2.12 ₩3,124

-36.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 ¥1,153

$3.22 ₩4,749

124.53%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥293

$3.07 ₩4,526

-40.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 ¥1,350

$8.96 ₩13.2K

-5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 ¥1,127

$7.78 ₩11.5K

-9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 ¥3,308

$33.70 ₩49.7K

-38.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥564

$7.92 ₩11.7K

-55.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ¥475

$3.47 ₩5,106

-14.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ¥667

$5.67 ₩8,360

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 ¥623

$6.40 ₩9,428

-38.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 ¥446

$3.52 ₩5,190

-20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ¥347

$2.88 ₩4,250

-24.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥243

$2.55 ₩3,761

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥145

$0.94 ₩1,382

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ¥496

$3.38 ₩4,976

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 ¥1,274

$16.64 ₩24.5K

-51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥323

$1.79 ₩2,644

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ¥544

$1.88 ₩2,766

81.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥267

$1.04 ₩1,539

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 ¥8,377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ¥758

$3.50 ₩5,164

36.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 ¥272

$0.57 ₩846

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 ¥3,343

$8.72 ₩12.9K

140.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ₩1,825

-1.61%

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

$35.2K ¥5.6M

$27.8K ₩41.0M

26.47%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$25.1K ₩37.0M

-32.77%

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

$310 ¥49.4K

$163 ₩239.4K

90.87%

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

$28.23 ¥4,498

$34.58 ₩50.9K

-18.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.91 ¥6,837

$22.44 ₩33.1K

91.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ¥8,657

$48.10 ₩70.9K

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 ¥1,852

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 ¥2,072

$10.95 ₩16.1K

18.81%

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

$274 ¥43.6K

$411 ₩605.7K

-33.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ¥1.8M

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-53.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,611

$59.5 ₩87.7K

-30.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 ¥4,475

$47.41 ₩69.9K

-40.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 ¥8,126

$79.3 ₩116.8K

-35.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ¥20.1K

$117 ₩171.9K

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 ¥84.4K

$449 ₩662.1K

17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥48.8K

$654 ₩964.0K

-53.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 ¥117.3K

$1,075 ₩1.6M

-31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥88.8K

$1,047 ₩1.5M

-46.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 ¥353.6K

$12.2K ₩18.0M

-81.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 ¥250.9K

$5,803 ₩8.5M

-72.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,726 ¥275.1K

$3,453 ₩5.1M

-50.00%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Sapporo versus $449 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 100% 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 $28 in Sapporo versus $42 in Seongnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $433 – 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 11%, 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 $2,220 per month in Sapporo and $2,460 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 $28.00 in Sapporo and $42.00 in Seongnam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,480, than in Seongnam at $1,640. 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.