Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Beijing (Pekin) Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Beijing (Pekin)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,783 per month in Seoul vs $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,868 per month in Seoul vs $1,907 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,952 per month in Seoul vs $2,636 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

Seoul costs about 51% more than Beijing (Pekin), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 29% above the global median, while Beijing (Pekin) is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$4.40 ¥29.45

123.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 ₩92.6K

$29.96 ¥201

130.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 ₩10.2K

$5.32 ¥35.60

42.29%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₩5,419

$3.41 ¥22.87

18.48%

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

$1.60 ₩2,151

$0.57 ¥3.80

180.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,052

$0.27 ¥1.79

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,026

$1.17 ¥7.85

220.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 ₩8,190

$1.69 ¥11.31

261.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩2,880

$1.89 ¥12.68

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,176

$1.69 ¥11.32

84.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ₩5,635

$1.15 ¥7.71

265.22%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,568

$2.07 ¥13.85

64.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ₩23.5K

$14.71 ¥98.5

18.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$3.37 ¥22.59

191.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.26 ₩33.9K

$10.59 ¥70.9

138.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩10.5K

$2.08 ¥13.95

275.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 ₩4,477

$1.89 ¥12.68

76.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,792

$1.91 ¥12.79

204.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 ₩8,309

$1.62 ¥10.86

282.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₩4,784

$0.71 ¥4.73

402.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,348

$0.87 ¥5.84

187.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,745

$0.73 ¥4.90

282.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₩1,499

$0.59 ¥3.94

89.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,373

$4.15 ¥27.81

-21.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.26 ₩24.5K

$14.81 ¥99.2

23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,219

$1.02 ¥6.83

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₩4,217

$1.88 ¥12.60

67.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,506

$0.77 ¥5.13

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 ₩61.6K

$31.99 ¥214

43.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,885

$1.90 ¥12.71

91.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩843

$0.36 ¥2.38

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₩12.0K

$7.48 ¥50.1

19.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,023

$1.31 ¥8.80

15.27%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$19.6K ¥131.4K

52.15%

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

$28.0K ₩37.6M

$18.5K ¥124.1K

51.09%

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

$201 ₩268.9K

$55.2 ¥370

263.00%

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

$34.79 ₩46.7K

$9.08 ¥60.8

283.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.70 ₩26.4K

$14.38 ¥96.3

37.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₩76.4K

$41.41 ¥277

37.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.7K

$24.36 ¥163

-33.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩14.8K

$7.28 ¥48.74

51.65%

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

$1,915 ₩2.6M

$648 ¥4,337

195.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₩30.5M

$25.7K ¥171.9K

-11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₩76.1K

$64.8 ¥434

-12.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 ₩43.7K

$36.72 ¥246

-11.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ₩92.9K

$89.0 ¥596

-22.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ₩108.5K

$122 ¥816

-33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₩1.2M

$957 ¥6,410

-6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 ₩825.9K

$535 ¥3,582

15.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 ₩3.4M

$2,368 ¥15.9K

7.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 ₩1.7M

$1,127 ¥7,550

11.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.4K ₩38.1M

$12.4K ¥83.3K

128.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K ₩15.5M

$6,369 ¥42.7K

81.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,457 ₩4.6M

$1,656 ¥11.1K

108.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.21

27.10%

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

Last update for Seoul: September 7, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Seoul versus $957 in Beijing (Pekin). 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 109% higher in Seoul, 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 $69.0 in Seoul versus $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $469 vs $231 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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

Seoul vs Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,675 per month in Seoul and $1,767 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beijing (Pekin), 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 $69.0 in Seoul and $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,783 in Seoul and $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beijing (Pekin), where all-in costs run around $1,178, than in Seoul at $1,783. In Beijing (Pekin) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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