Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Gongzhuling

For one person, living is cheaper in Gongzhuling: $592 a month against $1,804 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Gongzhuling
Learn more

Gongzhuling Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,804

/mo nomad

Gongzhuling

🇨🇳 China

$592

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Gongzhuling

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seoul and in Gongzhuling actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $591 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Gongzhuling $591

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $946 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Gongzhuling $946

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,300 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Gongzhuling $1,300

Seoul costs about 203% more than Gongzhuling, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Gongzhuling is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.1K

$2.11 ¥14.13

331.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 ₩88.6K

$16.27 ¥109

309.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₩9,959

$4.57 ¥30.56

63.89%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,569

$1.99 ¥13.32

110.55%

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

$1.55 ₩2,067

$0.47 ¥3.12

229.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$0.21 ¥1.40

276.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,846

$0.73 ¥4.88

398.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₩8,164

$1.67 ¥11.15

267.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,811

$1.38 ¥9.22

52.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,051

$2.18 ¥14.57

39.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,599

$1.06 ¥7.10

297.17%

Eggs

$3.54 ₩4,709

$1.02 ¥6.84

247.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 ₩24.0K

$7.30 ¥48.79

146.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₩13.8K

$3.68 ¥24.63

181.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 ₩35.2K

$9.21 ¥61.6

187.40%

Apples (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$0.58 ¥3.89

1263.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$0.64 ¥4.28

437.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,493

$0.54 ¥3.62

944.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,517

$0.46 ¥3.10

1293.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₩4,938

$0.46 ¥3.09

706.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,345

$0.51 ¥3.40

394.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 ₩3,816

$0.47 ¥3.12

510.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,536

$0.62 ¥4.12

87.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$3.60 ¥24.08

-6.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩24.9K

$10.33 ¥69.1

81.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$0.65 ¥4.37

250.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,397

$1.13 ¥7.59

192.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,497

$0.31 ¥2.09

264.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩62.1K

$17.60 ¥118

165.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,684

$1.14 ¥7.60

208.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

$0.36 ¥2.38

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.7K

$2.71 ¥18.09

223.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,930

$1.30 ¥8.70

11.54%

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

$29.7K ₩39.4M

$19.7K ¥131.8K

50.44%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$16.2K ¥108.2K

74.16%

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

$211 ₩280.4K

$28.24 ¥189

646.67%

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

$35.36 ₩47.0K

$6.14 ¥41.02

475.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 ₩27.4K

$10.25 ¥68.5

100.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₩76.7K

$41.33 ¥276

39.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.5K

$14.83 ¥99.2

9.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.1K

$5.26 ¥35.17

116.16%

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

$1,967 ₩2.6M

$397 ¥2,655

395.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.3M

$11.6K ¥77.8K

95.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩76.4K

$16.46 ¥110

249.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ₩44.0K

$22.60 ¥151

46.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩93.2K

$59.1 ¥395

18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 ₩112.0K

$44.33 ¥296

90.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₩1.2M

$301 ¥2,012

191.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩829.7K

$185 ¥1,237

237.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 ₩3.3M

$636 ¥4,251

295.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₩1.7M

$371 ¥2,481

246.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.4K ₩40.4M

$3,483 ¥23.3K

771.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,937 ¥12.9K

513.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 ₩4.8M

$336 ¥2,246

971.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.5

16.57%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Last update for Gongzhuling: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.6%

Gongzhuling

$185 31.2% 70.4% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$480 26.6%

Gongzhuling

$161 27.2% 66.4% $319

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$267 14.8%

Gongzhuling

$45 7.5% 83.3% $222

Eating Out

Seoul

$185 10.3%

Gongzhuling

$64 10.8% 65.4% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Gongzhuling

$64 10.8% 41.8% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Gongzhuling

$52 8.8% 35.6% $29

Getting Around

Seoul

$58 3.2%

Gongzhuling

$22 3.7% 62.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $300 in Gongzhuling. 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 970% 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $16.00 in Gongzhuling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $160 – making Gongzhuling the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇨🇳 Gongzhuling

🕒 Local time

18:53 6:53 PM

17:53 5:53 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

862,313

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Seoul Gongzhuling 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gongzhuling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 203%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $887 in Gongzhuling. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gongzhuling, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $400 in Gongzhuling. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 198% more in Seoul, 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 Gongzhuling, where all-in costs run around $591, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Gongzhuling it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gongzhuling – 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 Gongzhuling. 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.