Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Pingtung city

For one person, living is cheaper in Pingtung city: $909 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Pingtung city
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Pingtung city Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Pingtung city

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$909

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Pingtung city

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $909 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Pingtung city $909

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,474 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Pingtung city $1,474

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $2,038 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Pingtung city $2,038

Seoul costs about 97% more than Pingtung city, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$5.52 NT$179

59.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$31.64 NT$1,026

116.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.71 NT$153

60.08%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.87 NT$93.1

47.39%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.98 NT$31.82

66.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.68 NT$21.92

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.54 NT$49.83

136.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.52 NT$81.6

144.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$3.22 NT$104

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.91 NT$62.0

63.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$2.60 NT$84.2

66.15%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$2.65 NT$86.0

36.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$15.60 NT$506

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$8.06 NT$261

29.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$15.09 NT$489

70.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$4.33 NT$140

76.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.87 NT$60.7

80.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.49 NT$80.8

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$3.19 NT$104

100.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.18 NT$38.37

217.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.93 NT$62.7

31.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$2.33 NT$75.6

21.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.85 NT$27.60

30.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$3.81 NT$123

-12.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$15.42 NT$500

19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.55 NT$50.2

54.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$2.24 NT$72.5

50.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.49 NT$15.89

132.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$2.70 NT$87.5

29.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.74 NT$24.04

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$6.40 NT$207

38.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.03 NT$33.32

46.60%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$34.1K NT$1.1M

-14.08%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$23.0K NT$746.1K

22.60%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$111 NT$3,590

96.50%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$15.11 NT$490

132.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$25.70 NT$833

-17.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$9.58 NT$311

18.06%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$344 NT$11.2K

466.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$14.0K NT$453.1K

63.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$70.8 NT$2,297

-19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$31.23 NT$1,013

6.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$82.4 NT$2,670

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$104 NT$3,359

-20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$247 NT$8,018

264.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$155 NT$5,023

294.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$746 NT$24.2K

238.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$375 NT$12.2K

237.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$1,912 NT$62.0K

90.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.27

79.74%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Pingtung city: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Pingtung city

$155 17% 74.7% $457

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Pingtung city

$334 36.7% 30.1% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Pingtung city

$152 16.7% 44.7% $122

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Pingtung city

$112 12.3% 39% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Pingtung city

$130 14.3% 17.8% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Pingtung city

$19 * 2.1% 76.3% $62

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Pingtung city

$8.4 * 0.9% 85.4% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $247 in Pingtung city. 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 91% 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 $32.00 in Pingtung city. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $334 – making Pingtung city the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇹🇼 Pingtung city

🕒 Local time

08:57 8:57 AM

07:57 7:57 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

201,644

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Pingtung city 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Pingtung city

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 Pingtung city: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,794 in Seoul, $909 in Pingtung city – roughly 97% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,364 in Pingtung city. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pingtung city, 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 $1,794 in Seoul and $909 in Pingtung city. That's a gap of about 97%.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $344 in Pingtung city. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pingtung city – 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 Pingtung city. 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.