Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Yangzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Yangzhou: $680 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Yangzhou
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Yangzhou Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Yangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$680

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Yangzhou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seoul and in Yangzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $680 in Yangzhou, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Yangzhou $680

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,096 in Yangzhou, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Yangzhou $1,096

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,513 in Yangzhou, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Yangzhou $1,513

Seoul costs about 164% more than Yangzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Yangzhou is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.8K

$2.26 ¥15.14

289.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩91.6K

$11.38 ¥76.1

500.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.1K

$2.96 ¥19.80

154.73%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,664

$2.46 ¥16.43

71.95%

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

$1.63 ₩2,182

$0.44 ¥2.92

270.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩992

$0.21 ¥1.40

252.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,878

$1.04 ¥6.95

250.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,233

$2.07 ¥13.86

197.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,698

$1.17 ¥7.85

71.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,194

$1.97 ¥13.18

58.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,785

$0.80 ¥5.36

440.00%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,828

$1.02 ¥6.82

253.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.9K

$13.79 ¥92.2

29.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩14.0K

$2.67 ¥17.88

291.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.6K

$6.96 ¥46.54

270.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.3K

$0.79 ¥5.32

869.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,531

$1.75 ¥11.67

93.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,778

$0.46 ¥3.09

1163.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,580

$1.05 ¥7.02

510.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,018

$0.71 ¥4.73

428.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,400

$0.62 ¥4.16

309.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,809

$0.86 ¥5.75

230.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,483

$0.65 ¥4.35

70.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,487

$2.98 ¥19.93

12.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$11.86 ¥79.3

55.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,208

$0.88 ¥5.86

172.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,512

$1.99 ¥13.31

69.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,531

$0.33 ¥2.18

245.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.7K

$15.39 ¥103

199.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,677

$1.23 ¥8.25

183.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩846

$0.26 ¥1.72

142.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.9K

$3.65 ¥24.43

142.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,020

$1.18 ¥7.89

27.97%

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

$29.3K ₩39.2M

$19.7K ¥131.5K

48.89%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$16.4K ¥109.6K

72.20%

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

$218 ₩291.3K

$48.33 ¥323

350.07%

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

$35.15 ₩47.1K

$8.14 ¥54.5

331.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.5K

$12.04 ¥80.5

76.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.8K

$43.22 ¥289

34.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.6K

$16.89 ¥113

-4.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.1K

$6.19 ¥41.37

82.71%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$237 ¥1,586

721.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.6M

$7,395 ¥49.5K

209.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩76.4K

$89.1 ¥596

-35.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.7K

$32.49 ¥217

2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.7K

$63.0 ¥421

13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$89.2 ¥597

-7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$252 ¥1,682

258.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩819.3K

$162 ¥1,084

277.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$590 ¥3,945

328.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$395 ¥2,641

220.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.4M

$2,520 ¥16.8K

1067.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.9M

$1,824 ¥12.2K

552.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$1,261 ¥8,431

189.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.1

31.61%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Yangzhou: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Yangzhou

$162 23.9% 73.5% $450

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Yangzhou

$183 26.9% 61.7% $294

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Yangzhou

$69 10.1% 75% $205

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Yangzhou

$68 10.1% 62.8% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Yangzhou

$123 18.1% 12% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Yangzhou

$56 8.2% 31.1% $25

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Yangzhou

$19 2.8% 66.5% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $252 in Yangzhou. 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 190% 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $11.00 in Yangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $183 – making Yangzhou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇨🇳 Yangzhou

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

16:52 4:52 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

4,559,797

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.47 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1,339 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seoul vs Yangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 164% more than Yangzhou, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,019 in Yangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 200% less in Yangzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $237 in Yangzhou. 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 Yangzhou, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Yangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yangzhou – 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 Yangzhou. 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.