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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Seongnam vs $1,476 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,474 per month in Seongnam vs $2,124 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,283 per month in Seongnam vs $2,773 in Sapporo, rent included.

Seongnam costs about 13% more than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seongnam and Sapporo sit above the global median – Seongnam by 25%, Sapporo by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩8,389

$9.52 ¥1,554

-38.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.83 ₩60.4K

$28.09 ¥4,587

48.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 ₩6,400

$5.31 ¥867

-16.57%

Cappuccino

$3.97 ₩5,726

$3.76 ¥613

5.59%

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

$1.53 ₩2,207

$0.93 ¥152

64.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,142

$0.84 ¥137

-5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ₩3,820

$3.40 ¥555

-22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₩5,170

$6.18 ¥1,008

-42.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,085

$1.59 ¥260

34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 ₩2,973

$1.33 ¥217

54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,539

$7.24 ¥1,183

-56.63%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,605

$1.92 ¥314

66.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₩13.5K

$8.48 ¥1,386

10.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ₩11.3K

$7.34 ¥1,199

6.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.54 ₩48.4K

$20.76 ¥3,390

61.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 ₩10.8K

$3.53 ¥576

112.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩4,994

$3.06 ¥500

13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩8,142

$4.25 ¥694

32.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩9,525

$4.03 ¥657

63.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,062

$2.77 ¥453

26.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,117

$2.29 ¥374

24.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,617

$1.50 ¥245

67.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₩1,387

$0.83 ¥136

15.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,895

$3.03 ¥495

11.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 ₩24.6K

$7.76 ¥1,268

119.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,672

$2.04 ¥333

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₩2,681

$3.51 ¥573

-47.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,581

$1.76 ¥287

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ¥8,644

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩5,247

$4.76 ¥778

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩771

$1.72 ¥281

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.89 ₩12.8K

$20.62 ¥3,368

-56.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,714

$1.19 ¥194

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

$27.2K ₩39.3M

$35.1K ¥5.7M

-22.56%

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

$25.2K ₩36.4M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

50.21%

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

$167 ₩240.4K

$319 ¥52.1K

-47.83%

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

$34.40 ₩49.7K

$28.68 ¥4,683

19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 ₩31.7K

$42.50 ¥6,940

-48.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.71 ₩68.9K

$53.9 ¥8,808

-11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥1,849

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.2K

$12.92 ¥2,110

-13.31%

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

$413 ₩595.7K

$281 ¥45.9K

46.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩33.5M

$10.9K ¥1.8M

112.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩83.9K

$41.16 ¥6,720

41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.33 ₩68.3K

$27.81 ¥4,542

70.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₩116.1K

$52.0 ¥8,496

54.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩169.6K

$127 ¥20.7K

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩638.7K

$530 ¥86.6K

-16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₩968.2K

$301 ¥49.1K

123.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ₩1.5M

$749 ¥122.3K

43.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₩1.5M

$553 ¥90.3K

82.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,307 ₩10.5M

$2,120 ¥346.2K

244.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,184 ₩7.5M

$1,544 ¥252.2K

235.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ¥280.0K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Seongnam versus $28.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $325 – 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 13%, 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 $2,496 per month in Seongnam and $2,213 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 33% 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 $1,476, than in Seongnam at $1,664. 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.