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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,752 per month in Seoul vs $1,653 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Seoul vs $2,585 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Seoul vs $3,517 in Tokyo, rent included.

Seoul costs about 6% more than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Tokyo sit above the global median – Seoul by 28%, Tokyo by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.2K

$7.31 ¥1,137

33.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩89.0K

$37.11 ¥5,776

76.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,685

$4.98 ¥774

43.37%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,453

$3.65 ¥567

10.14%

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

$1.64 ₩2,218

$1.69 ¥262

-2.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,119

$0.92 ¥144

-9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,865

$3.65 ¥568

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,772

$5.06 ¥788

13.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,855

$1.55 ¥242

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,217

$1.72 ¥268

80.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,764

$5.92 ¥922

-28.21%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,579

$2.23 ¥347

51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩23.1K

$11.36 ¥1,769

49.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.6K

$7.67 ¥1,194

31.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.7K

$20.11 ¥3,130

23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩9,975

$5.18 ¥806

42.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,706

$2.51 ¥391

38.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,520

$4.64 ¥722

19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,482

$5.91 ¥920

5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,942

$3.54 ¥551

3.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,298

$3.44 ¥536

-29.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,697

$1.22 ¥189

123.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,464

$0.86 ¥133

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,386

$3.97 ¥618

-18.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.9K

$9.53 ¥1,484

92.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,202

$1.78 ¥277

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,236

$3.03 ¥472

2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,577

$1.23 ¥191

-5.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.7K

$67.6 ¥10.5K

-33.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,821

$3.16 ¥492

12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩793

$3.04 ¥473

-80.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.0K

$18.14 ¥2,824

-51.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,964

$1.04 ¥162

39.42%

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

$29.1K ₩39.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

34.05%

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

$28.1K ₩38.1M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

90.74%

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

$196 ₩266.4K

$157 ¥24.4K

25.12%

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

$34.49 ₩46.8K

$22.07 ¥3,435

56.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.8K

$30.21 ¥4,702

-34.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩77.3K

$62.5 ¥9,734

-8.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.8K

$25.32 ¥3,941

-36.61%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩15.0K

$12.30 ¥1,914

-10.24%

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

$1,891 ₩2.6M

$1,300 ¥202.3K

45.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.9M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

24.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩76.4K

$51.2 ¥7,970

9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩44.0K

$32.35 ¥5,035

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩92.5K

$62.6 ¥9,740

9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩107.7K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$1,230 ¥191.5K

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩814.8K

$660 ¥102.7K

-8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$2,368 ¥368.5K

5.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$1,357 ¥211.3K

-9.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩38.2M

$8,747 ¥1.4M

222.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.4M

$3,944 ¥613.9K

187.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$2,843 ¥442.5K

22.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

1.93

111.40%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in Seoul versus $1,230 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 23% 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 $37.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $354 – 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 6% 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 $2,628 per month in Seoul and $2,480 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 51% less in Tokyo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,891 per month in Seoul and $1,300 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 $1,653, than in Seoul at $1,752. 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 $1,653 versus $1,752 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.