Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Taichung

For one person, living is cheaper in Taichung: $1,143 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Taichung
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Taichung Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Taichung

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,143

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Taichung

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $1,143 in Taichung, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Taichung $1,143

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $1,887 in Taichung, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Taichung $1,887

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $2,631 in Taichung, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Taichung $2,631

Seoul costs about 59% more than Taichung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 36% above the global median, while Taichung is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$4.68 NT$149

94.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$32.12 NT$1,025

108.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$4.85 NT$155

52.99%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$2.75 NT$87.6

48.36%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$1.03 NT$32.80

55.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$0.74 NT$23.56

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$1.56 NT$49.69

133.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$2.78 NT$88.7

113.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$3.27 NT$104

-37.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$1.76 NT$56.2

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

$2.66 NT$84.7

58.27%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$2.62 NT$83.7

36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$29.33 NT$936

-38.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$8.13 NT$259

30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$17.14 NT$547

54.26%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$4.22 NT$135

75.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$1.92 NT$61.3

83.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$2.99 NT$95.3

96.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

$2.15 NT$68.6

196.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

$1.20 NT$38.28

212.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

$1.97 NT$62.9

26.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

$2.40 NT$76.7

21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$0.90 NT$28.80

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

$3.75 NT$120

-12.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$15.53 NT$495

19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

$1.64 NT$52.3

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

$2.47 NT$78.8

32.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.72 NT$23.05

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

$31.97 NT$1,020

42.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$2.70 NT$86.1

28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

$0.92 NT$29.49

-34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$9.61 NT$307

-9.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$1.03 NT$32.76

45.63%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

$33.0K NT$1.1M

-11.86%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$22.7K NT$725.9K

23.93%

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$127 NT$4,037

65.10%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$14.84 NT$474

136.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$21.00 NT$670

0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

$32.96 NT$1,052

73.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$11.63 NT$371

36.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$10.02 NT$320

13.07%

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

$1,902 ₩2.5M

$347 NT$11.1K

448.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$16.8K NT$537.2K

33.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩78.9K

$72.5 NT$2,314

-18.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

$35.93 NT$1,147

-10.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$85.8 NT$2,738

-18.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$117 NT$3,727

-29.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$396 NT$12.6K

123.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$273 NT$8,722

128.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$1,217 NT$38.8K

104.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$774 NT$24.7K

64.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$8,642 NT$275.8K

245.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$5,368 NT$171.3K

120.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$1,432 NT$45.7K

154.84%

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 4, 2026

Last update for Taichung: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Taichung

$273 23.7% 56.2% $350

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Taichung

$379 32.8% 20.9% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Taichung

$162 14.1% 38.8% $103

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Taichung

$105 9.1% 42.7% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Taichung

$140 12.1% 27.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Taichung

$53 4.6% 33.7% $27

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Taichung

$42 3.7% 25.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $396 in Taichung. 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 155% 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 $67.0 in Seoul versus $32.00 in Taichung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $379 – making Taichung the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇹🇼 Taichung

🕒 Local time

16:22 4:22 PM

15:22 3:22 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

2,767,239

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.79 TWD (100 TWD = 2.79 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Taichung 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Taichung

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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 59% more than Taichung, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,733 per month in Seoul and $1,714 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 42% less in Taichung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,902 per month in Seoul and $347 in Taichung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taichung – 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 Taichung. 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.