Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,494 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,394 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $3,295 in Taipei, rent included.

Seoul costs about 17% more than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Taipei sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Taipei by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$6.64 NT$209

29.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$40.45 NT$1,274

34.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,659

$5.79 NT$183

8.81%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,954

$3.75 NT$118

3.47%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$1.13 NT$35.45

52.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.72 NT$22.77

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,511

$3.31 NT$104

8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,101

$3.30 NT$104

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,410

$3.12 NT$98.3

-28.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,288

$1.98 NT$62.4

74.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,804

$3.07 NT$96.6

1.95%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,886

$2.91 NT$91.8

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$19.73 NT$621

-27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$9.90 NT$312

11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$20.36 NT$641

70.63%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$5.15 NT$162

54.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,307

$2.92 NT$91.9

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,323

$2.89 NT$90.9

87.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$4.26 NT$134

57.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,830

$2.79 NT$88.0

36.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,516

$2.19 NT$69.1

34.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,024

$1.97 NT$62.1

33.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,947

$1.39 NT$43.76

-8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,949

$4.00 NT$126

-19.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$14.48 NT$456

34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,710

$1.75 NT$55.2

38.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,977

$2.42 NT$76.2

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$0.89 NT$28.07

25.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$41.16 NT$1,297

16.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,458

$2.91 NT$91.7

22.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩828

$0.79 NT$24.96

-31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$10.05 NT$316

-13.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,911

$1.07 NT$33.66

16.82%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$38.1K NT$1.2M

-25.92%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$27.9K NT$878.3K

-9.14%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$84.9 NT$2,674

89.16%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$18.69 NT$589

83.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$24.75 NT$780

-9.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$42.03 NT$1,324

35.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$14.06 NT$443

65.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$11.84 NT$373

-5.49%

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

$412 ₩631.7K

$626 NT$19.7K

-34.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.3M

$18.6K NT$587.0K

26.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$58.9 NT$1,856

-0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$34.01 NT$1,072

37.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$95.1 NT$2,997

-17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$124 NT$3,894

-7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$789 NT$24.8K

21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.9K

$541 NT$17.0K

11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,667 NT$52.5K

54.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,113 NT$35.1K

17.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.9M

$13.7K NT$431.0K

32.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$8,450 NT$266.2K

9.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$1,713 NT$54.0K

80.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

2.19

89.04%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $789 in Taipei. 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 81% 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 $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $401 – making Taipei 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 17% more than Taipei, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $2,240 in Taipei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 16% less in Taipei. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Seoul and $626 in Taipei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,494, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Taipei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taipei – 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 Taipei. 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.