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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,752 per month in Seoul vs $1,371 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Seoul vs $2,237 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Seoul vs $3,104 in Taipei, rent included.

Seoul costs about 28% more than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Seoul and Taipei sit above the global median – Seoul by 28%, Taipei by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.3K

$4.62 NT$147

111.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩89.2K

$48.10 NT$1,526

36.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,710

$5.87 NT$186

21.64%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,467

$3.44 NT$109

16.86%

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

$1.64 ₩2,224

$0.92 NT$29.21

78.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$0.66 NT$21.00

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,877

$2.76 NT$87.6

30.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,792

$3.74 NT$119

53.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,863

$3.04 NT$96.5

-30.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,228

$1.97 NT$62.4

57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,779

$3.03 NT$96.1

40.26%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,591

$2.77 NT$88.0

22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩23.1K

$19.90 NT$631

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.7K

$9.95 NT$316

1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.8K

$21.25 NT$674

17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩10.0K

$5.04 NT$160

46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,718

$3.36 NT$107

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,539

$3.12 NT$99.0

77.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,503

$4.46 NT$142

40.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,955

$2.80 NT$88.9

30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,307

$2.32 NT$73.6

4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,707

$1.71 NT$54.4

59.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,468

$1.18 NT$37.37

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,397

$3.90 NT$124

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.9K

$14.43 NT$458

27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,210

$1.67 NT$52.8

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,247

$2.31 NT$73.2

35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,581

$0.69 NT$22.01

68.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.9K

$37.23 NT$1,181

20.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,833

$2.70 NT$85.5

31.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩795

$0.75 NT$23.87

-22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.1K

$9.50 NT$302

-6.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,969

$1.01 NT$32.15

43.56%

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

$29.1K ₩39.5M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-13.93%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

$24.1K NT$764.8K

16.48%

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

$196 ₩267.0K

$85.7 NT$2,719

129.24%

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

$34.49 ₩46.9K

$18.27 NT$580

88.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.9K

$27.88 NT$885

-28.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩77.5K

$41.07 NT$1,303

38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.8K

$15.95 NT$506

0.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩15.0K

$9.66 NT$307

14.29%

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

$1,891 ₩2.6M

$633 NT$20.1K

198.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩30.0M

$16.9K NT$535.1K

30.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩76.6K

$61.7 NT$1,958

-8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩44.1K

$40.47 NT$1,284

-19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩92.8K

$83.8 NT$2,659

-18.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩107.9K

$107 NT$3,402

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$866 NT$27.5K

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩816.9K

$494 NT$15.7K

21.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$1,572 NT$49.9K

58.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$955 NT$30.3K

28.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩38.3M

$12.7K NT$401.6K

122.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.4M

$7,665 NT$243.2K

47.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$1,716 NT$54.4K

103.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.4

70.00%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taipei: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in Seoul versus $866 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 103% 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 $66.0 in Seoul versus $48.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $402 – 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 28% more than Taipei, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,628 per month in Seoul and $2,056 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 20% less in Taipei. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,891 per month in Seoul and $633 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 $1,371, than in Seoul at $1,752. 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.