Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Seoul costs about 105% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 30% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$2.74 ¥18.57

213.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$22.37 ¥151

142.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,657

$4.77 ¥32.29

32.08%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,952

$3.17 ¥21.43

22.40%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$0.50 ¥3.40

244.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.30 ¥2.02

186.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,509

$1.01 ¥6.84

256.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,098

$1.66 ¥11.21

257.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,409

$1.89 ¥12.78

17.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,286

$2.03 ¥13.77

69.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,802

$1.29 ¥8.72

142.64%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,884

$1.56 ¥10.57

104.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$19.15 ¥130

-25.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$4.70 ¥31.84

133.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$14.33 ¥97.0

142.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$2.12 ¥14.38

275.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,305

$1.25 ¥8.49

176.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,321

$1.99 ¥13.49

172.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$1.48 ¥10.03

352.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,828

$0.95 ¥6.43

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,514

$1.08 ¥7.34

173.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,023

$0.56 ¥3.81

369.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,946

$0.61 ¥4.12

108.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,947

$3.93 ¥26.57

-17.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$10.48 ¥71.0

85.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,709

$0.93 ¥6.31

160.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,976

$1.41 ¥9.54

130.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$0.44 ¥2.97

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$25.10 ¥170

90.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,456

$1.62 ¥10.98

119.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩827

$0.35 ¥2.34

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$6.12 ¥41.39

42.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,910

$1.16 ¥7.86

7.76%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$21.3K ¥144.0K

32.82%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$19.5K ¥131.7K

30.23%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$60.2 ¥408

166.60%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$12.94 ¥87.6

165.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$11.49 ¥77.8

95.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$40.75 ¥276

39.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$13.85 ¥93.7

67.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$6.47 ¥43.81

72.95%

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

$412 ₩631.5K

$319 ¥2,161

29.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.2M

$16.2K ¥109.7K

45.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$41.23 ¥279

42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$28.59 ¥194

63.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$69.1 ¥467

13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$61.7 ¥417

85.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$492 ¥3,333

94.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.7K

$269 ¥1,824

123.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,135 ¥7,680

127.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$618 ¥4,181

111.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.8M

$8,864 ¥60.0K

105.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$3,369 ¥22.8K

173.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$1,314 ¥8,894

135.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.08

1.47%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $492 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 136% 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $251 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,742 in Seoul, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 105% apart. Seoul costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $1,275 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,742 in Seoul and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $850, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guangzhou (Canton) – 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 Guangzhou (Canton). 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.