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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Seongnam vs $1,469 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Seongnam vs $2,170 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Seongnam vs $2,871 in Sapporo, rent included.

Seongnam is about 6% cheaper than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seongnam and Sapporo sit above the global median – Seongnam by 1%, Sapporo by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 ₩9,094

$6.43 ¥1,004

2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 ₩56.4K

$31.77 ¥4,962

28.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 ₩9,279

$6.34 ¥990

5.99%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₩5,769

$4.95 ¥773

-15.56%

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

$1.58 ₩2,175

$1.80 ¥281

-12.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₩1,125

$1.04 ¥163

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 ₩4,719

$4.32 ¥674

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ₩5,184

$5.76 ¥899

-34.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,121

$1.65 ¥258

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 ₩4,161

$1.44 ¥225

109.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 ₩5,043

$4.18 ¥652

-12.68%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,702

$1.77 ¥276

92.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 ₩13.2K

$9.54 ¥1,490

0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ₩11.0K

$7.21 ¥1,125

10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.84 ₩30.1K

$26.04 ¥4,067

-16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.6K

$3.17 ¥495

141.64%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩4,772

$3.16 ¥494

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 ₩7,752

$3.17 ¥495

77.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 ₩9,540

$4.20 ¥655

64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 ₩5,049

$2.13 ¥333

71.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₩3,541

$1.74 ¥272

47.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 ₩3,812

$1.53 ¥238

80.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,741

$0.47 ¥73.1

168.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,624

$4.00 ¥625

-16.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ₩25.9K

$8.21 ¥1,282

128.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₩2,862

$1.93 ¥301

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,553

$3.17 ¥494

-41.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,440

$1.63 ¥255

-36.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.13 ¥7,673

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,911

$4.13 ¥645

-13.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩831

$1.72 ¥269

-65.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 ₩12.5K

$16.36 ¥2,555

-44.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,920

$1.08 ¥168

28.70%

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

$29.1K ₩40.2M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

30.15%

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

$28.2K ₩39.0M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

89.96%

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

$203 ₩279.9K

$345 ¥53.8K

-41.18%

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

$36.87 ₩50.9K

$26.14 ¥4,083

41.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.09 ₩27.7K

$48.69 ¥7,603

-58.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₩78.0K

$51.2 ¥7,991

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.96 ₩16.5K

$3.33 ¥520

259.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 ₩15.2K

$12.23 ¥1,910

-9.89%

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

$571 ₩787.8K

$326 ¥50.9K

75.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩24.5M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

71.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩79.4K

$38.77 ¥6,054

48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.44 ₩44.8K

$26.09 ¥4,074

24.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₩96.1K

$48.71 ¥7,607

42.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₩112.9K

$117 ¥18.3K

-29.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₩611.4K

$459 ¥71.7K

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₩493.3K

$282 ¥44.1K

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 ₩1.6M

$844 ¥131.7K

36.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ₩1.4M

$657 ¥102.7K

58.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,019 ₩9.7M

$2,228 ¥348.0K

215.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,522 ₩7.6M

$1,616 ¥252.3K

241.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,039 ¥318.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.31

76.62%

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

Last update for Seongnam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Seongnam versus $459 in Sapporo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Seongnam versus $32.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $320 – 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

Seongnam vs Sapporo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sapporo is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,077 per month in Seongnam and $2,203 in Sapporo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seongnam, 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 $41.00 in Seongnam and $32.00 in Sapporo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Sapporo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seongnam, where all-in costs run around $1,385, than in Sapporo at $1,469. In Seongnam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sapporo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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