Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,765 per month in Seoul vs $1,701 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Seoul vs $2,691 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Seoul vs $3,682 in Tokyo, rent included.

Seoul costs about 4% more than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Tokyo sit above the global median – Seoul by 32%, Tokyo by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩12.9K

$8.09 ¥1,314

7.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.2K

$48.77 ¥7,923

11.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,546

$5.48 ¥891

18.07%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,717

$3.60 ¥584

7.78%

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

$1.65 ₩2,435

$1.27 ¥206

29.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,263

$0.86 ¥140

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,562

$4.08 ¥662

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,444

$5.44 ¥883

5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,340

$1.62 ¥264

39.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,051

$1.51 ¥245

126.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,565

$5.34 ¥868

-42.13%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,509

$2.32 ¥377

31.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.4K

$15.96 ¥2,593

-9.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩15.9K

$8.12 ¥1,319

32.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.0K

$22.55 ¥3,664

53.17%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.3K

$5.52 ¥897

38.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,227

$2.59 ¥421

36.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩7,995

$5.92 ¥962

-8.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,575

$6.07 ¥987

6.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,705

$3.24 ¥527

19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,236

$3.39 ¥551

-15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,856

$1.45 ¥235

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,943

$0.87 ¥142

51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,905

$4.25 ¥691

-21.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.3K

$9.31 ¥1,513

77.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,517

$2.05 ¥334

16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,973

$2.87 ¥466

17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,587

$1.48 ¥241

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.1K

$84.6 ¥13.7K

-44.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,109

$3.38 ¥548

2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩840

$2.91 ¥473

-80.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.3K

$26.24 ¥4,264

-65.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,846

$1.20 ¥195

4.17%

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

$27.9K ₩41.2M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

18.55%

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

$25.4K ₩37.4M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

47.47%

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

$160 ₩236.5K

$168 ¥27.2K

-4.41%

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

$34.41 ₩50.8K

$25.82 ¥4,195

33.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.5K

$33.50 ¥5,444

-34.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩85.5K

$70.9 ¥11.5K

-18.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.6K

$20.25 ¥3,289

15.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.1K

$13.07 ¥2,124

-16.37%

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

$417 ₩615.5K

$495 ¥80.3K

-15.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩34.8M

$15.7K ¥2.6M

50.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩87.3K

$61.5 ¥10,000

-3.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩71.4K

$41.66 ¥6,769

16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩117.8K

$65.9 ¥10.7K

21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩169.4K

$91.1 ¥14.8K

26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$1,120 ¥182.0K

-15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩867.2K

$606 ¥98.5K

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$2,680 ¥435.5K

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩1.9M

$1,342 ¥218.0K

-2.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.4M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

151.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.8M

$4,986 ¥810.1K

114.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.6M

$2,330 ¥378.5K

35.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

1.72

140.70%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Seoul versus $1,120 in Tokyo. 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 35% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $491 vs $383 – making Tokyo 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 4% more than Tokyo, 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 $2,647 per month in Seoul and $2,552 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 81% less in Tokyo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $417 per month in Seoul and $495 in Tokyo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Tokyo, where all-in costs run around $1,701, than in Seoul at $1,765. In Tokyo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tokyo costs $1,701 versus $1,765 in Seoul. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Tokyo. 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.