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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Seongnam costs about 11% more than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ₩8,895

$9.61 ¥1,532

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.21 ₩62.2K

$27.68 ¥4,410

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ₩6,546

$5.28 ¥842

-15.91%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,543

$3.77 ¥600

-0.27%

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

$1.55 ₩2,278

$0.97 ¥155

59.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.83 ¥133

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ₩3,687

$3.50 ¥558

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₩5,488

$6.31 ¥1,005

-41.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,146

$1.50 ¥240

42.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ₩3,124

$1.34 ¥213

58.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,749

$7.23 ¥1,153

-55.46%

Eggs

$3.07 ₩4,526

$1.84 ¥293

66.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 ₩13.2K

$8.47 ¥1,350

5.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.5K

$7.07 ¥1,127

10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.70 ₩49.7K

$20.76 ¥3,308

62.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.92 ₩11.7K

$3.54 ¥564

123.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩5,106

$2.98 ¥475

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,360

$4.18 ¥667

35.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 ₩9,428

$3.91 ¥623

63.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₩5,190

$2.80 ¥446

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,250

$2.18 ¥347

32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 ₩3,761

$1.53 ¥243

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₩1,382

$0.91 ¥145

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,976

$3.12 ¥496

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₩24.5K

$8.00 ¥1,274

108.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₩2,644

$2.03 ¥323

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₩2,766

$3.42 ¥544

-45.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,539

$1.68 ¥267

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 ¥8,377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,164

$4.76 ¥758

-26.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩846

$1.71 ¥272

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩12.9K

$20.98 ¥3,343

-58.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,825

$1.22 ¥195

1.64%

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

$27.8K ₩41.0M

$35.2K ¥5.6M

-20.93%

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

$25.1K ₩37.0M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

48.73%

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

$163 ₩239.4K

$310 ¥49.4K

-47.61%

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

$34.58 ₩50.9K

$28.23 ¥4,498

22.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.44 ₩33.1K

$42.91 ¥6,837

-47.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 ₩70.9K

$54.3 ¥8,657

-11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 ¥1,852

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 ₩16.1K

$13.01 ¥2,072

-15.83%

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

$411 ₩605.7K

$274 ¥43.6K

50.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩34.8M

$11.0K ¥1.8M

114.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩87.7K

$41.49 ¥6,611

43.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.41 ₩69.9K

$28.08 ¥4,475

68.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₩116.8K

$51.0 ¥8,126

55.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩171.9K

$126 ¥20.1K

-7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩662.1K

$530 ¥84.4K

-15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ₩964.0K

$306 ¥48.8K

113.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₩1.6M

$736 ¥117.3K

46.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₩1.5M

$557 ¥88.8K

87.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K ₩18.0M

$2,219 ¥353.6K

451.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,803 ₩8.5M

$1,575 ¥250.9K

268.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 ₩5.1M

$1,726 ¥275.1K

99.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

1.83

126.23%

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

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Seongnam versus $530 in Sapporo. 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 $42 in Seongnam versus $28 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $322 – 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 – 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 $2,460 per month in Seongnam and $2,220 in Sapporo. 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 $42.00 in Seongnam and $28.00 in Sapporo. 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.