Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Jiaozuo

For one person, living is cheaper in Jiaozuo: $674 a month against $1,804 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Jiaozuo
Learn more

Jiaozuo Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,804

/mo nomad

Jiaozuo

🇨🇳 China

$674

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Jiaozuo

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 Jiaozuo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,804 in Seoul versus $674 in Jiaozuo.

Seoul $1,804
Jiaozuo $674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,877 in Seoul versus $1,059 in Jiaozuo.

Seoul $2,877
Jiaozuo $1,059

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,950 in Seoul versus $1,445 in Jiaozuo.

Seoul $3,950
Jiaozuo $1,445

Living in Seoul is roughly 168% more expensive than in Jiaozuo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Jiaozuo is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.1K

$1.82 ¥12.16

400.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 ₩88.6K

$16.41 ¥110

306.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₩9,959

$4.59 ¥30.70

63.18%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,569

$2.48 ¥16.57

68.95%

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

$1.55 ₩2,067

$0.42 ¥2.78

269.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$0.26 ¥1.72

203.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,846

$0.85 ¥5.71

328.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₩8,164

$1.68 ¥11.22

265.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,811

$1.68 ¥11.26

25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,051

$1.58 ¥10.60

93.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,599

$0.69 ¥4.60

510.14%

Eggs

$3.54 ₩4,709

$0.96 ¥6.40

268.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 ₩24.0K

$8.43 ¥56.4

113.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₩13.8K

$2.41 ¥16.11

329.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 ₩35.2K

$8.26 ¥55.2

220.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$1.18 ¥7.87

570.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$0.98 ¥6.59

251.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,493

$0.63 ¥4.20

795.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,517

$0.57 ¥3.83

1024.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₩4,938

$0.53 ¥3.55

600.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,345

$0.47 ¥3.14

436.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 ₩3,816

$0.40 ¥2.66

617.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,536

$0.73 ¥4.86

58.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$2.54 ¥17.00

32.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩24.9K

$9.79 ¥65.5

91.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$0.68 ¥4.58

235.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,397

$2.02 ¥13.50

63.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,497

$0.31 ¥2.08

264.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩62.1K

$17.86 ¥119

161.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,684

$1.53 ¥10.25

130.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

$0.31 ¥2.10

106.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.7K

$3.66 ¥24.48

139.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,930

$0.98 ¥6.53

47.96%

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

$29.7K ₩39.4M

$19.2K ¥128.3K

54.55%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$17.6K ¥117.4K

60.62%

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

$211 ₩280.4K

$60.1 ¥402

250.97%

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

$35.36 ₩47.0K

$7.17 ¥47.97

393.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 ₩27.4K

$9.16 ¥61.3

124.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₩76.7K

$57.7 ¥386

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.5K

$15.04 ¥101

7.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.1K

$3.94 ¥26.37

188.58%

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

$1,967 ₩2.6M

$177 ¥1,182

1012.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.3M

$21.6K ¥144.2K

5.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩76.4K

$43.93 ¥294

30.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ₩44.0K

$34.16 ¥228

-3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩93.2K

$73.3 ¥490

-4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 ₩112.0K

$65.3 ¥437

29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₩1.2M

$296 ¥1,982

196.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩829.7K

$185 ¥1,238

237.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 ₩3.3M

$622 ¥4,158

304.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₩1.7M

$380 ¥2,541

238.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.4K ₩40.4M

$2,585 ¥17.3K

1074.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,965 ¥13.1K

504.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 ₩4.8M

$566 ¥3,786

535.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.29

24.01%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Last update for Jiaozuo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.6%

Jiaozuo

$185 27.5% 70.3% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$480 26.6%

Jiaozuo

$158 23.5% 67% $321

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$267 14.8%

Jiaozuo

$76 11.3% 71.4% $190

Eating Out

Seoul

$185 10.3%

Jiaozuo

$68 10.2% 63.1% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Jiaozuo

$97 14.5% 11.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Jiaozuo

$66 9.7% 18.5% $15

Getting Around

Seoul

$58 3.2%

Jiaozuo

$22 3.3% 61.7% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Seoul and $296 in Jiaozuo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 536% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67.0 in Seoul vs $16.00 in Jiaozuo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 vs $158 per month, with Jiaozuo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇨🇳 Jiaozuo

🕒 Local time

07:56 7:56 AM

06:56 6:56 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

3,539,860

💱 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 →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Jiaozuo 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Jiaozuo

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 Jiaozuo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaozuo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 168% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 536% higher in Seoul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $878 in Seoul versus $296 in Jiaozuo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,967 in Seoul versus $177 in Jiaozuo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 203% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $674 in Jiaozuo versus $1,804 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jiaozuo but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Jiaozuo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Jiaozuo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jiaozuo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.