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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,684 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,693 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $3,703 in Tokyo, rent included.

Seoul costs about 3% more than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Tokyo sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Tokyo by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$8.09 ¥1,294

6.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$48.31 ¥7,727

12.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,657

$5.69 ¥910

10.72%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,952

$3.57 ¥571

8.68%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$1.26 ¥202

36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.93 ¥148

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,509

$4.25 ¥681

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,098

$5.30 ¥848

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,409

$1.58 ¥252

40.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,286

$1.59 ¥254

116.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,802

$5.32 ¥851

-41.17%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,884

$2.41 ¥385

32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$16.04 ¥2,565

-11.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$7.85 ¥1,255

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$23.16 ¥3,704

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$5.23 ¥836

52.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,305

$2.57 ¥412

34.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,321

$5.73 ¥917

-5.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$5.97 ¥955

12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,828

$3.21 ¥514

18.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,514

$3.51 ¥562

-15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,023

$1.48 ¥236

77.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,946

$0.90 ¥143

41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,947

$4.27 ¥684

-24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$9.39 ¥1,501

107.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,709

$2.15 ¥343

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,976

$2.88 ¥461

12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$1.48 ¥237

-24.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-43.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,456

$3.49 ¥559

2.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩827

$2.87 ¥458

-81.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$26.77 ¥4,281

-67.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,910

$1.22 ¥195

2.46%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

20.48%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

45.34%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$164 ¥26.2K

-1.82%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$26.63 ¥4,259

29.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$33.94 ¥5,428

-33.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$20.11 ¥3,217

15.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$13.06 ¥2,088

-14.32%

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

$412 ₩631.5K

$506 ¥81.0K

-18.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.2M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

51.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$60.1 ¥9,611

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$40.31 ¥6,448

16.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$64.7 ¥10.3K

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.7K

$596 ¥95.4K

1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.8M

$10.8K ¥1.7M

68.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$4,974 ¥795.6K

85.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,501 ¥400.1K

23.72%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $1,094 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 24% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $382 – 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 3% 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 $2,613 per month in Seoul and $2,526 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 77% less in Tokyo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Seoul and $506 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 $1,684, than in Seoul at $1,742. 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 $1,684 versus $1,742 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.