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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $1,765 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $2,881 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $3,997 in Seoul, rent included.

Taipei is about 15% cheaper than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taipei and Seoul sit above the global median – Taipei by 12%, Seoul by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$8.73 ₩12.9K

-24.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,286

$54.3 ₩80.2K

-26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$180

$6.47 ₩9,546

-13.60%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.88 ₩5,717

1.29%

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

$1.16 NT$37.60

$1.65 ₩2,435

-29.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.19

$0.86 ₩1,263

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$3.77 ₩5,562

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$111

$5.72 ₩8,444

-39.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$2.26 ₩3,340

39.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$3.42 ₩5,051

-45.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$3.09 ₩4,565

-1.94%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$91.9

$3.06 ₩4,509

-6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$657

$14.51 ₩21.4K

40.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$10.76 ₩15.9K

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$34.54 ₩51.0K

-42.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$162

$7.65 ₩11.3K

-34.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$3.54 ₩5,227

-18.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.7

$5.42 ₩7,995

-46.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$6.49 ₩9,575

-35.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.4

$3.87 ₩5,705

-26.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.4

$2.87 ₩4,236

-21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.8

$2.61 ₩3,856

-25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.42

$1.32 ₩1,943

-0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$3.32 ₩4,905

24.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$446

$16.50 ₩24.3K

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.2

$2.38 ₩3,517

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.4

$3.37 ₩4,973

-29.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.76

$1.08 ₩1,587

-20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,332

$46.87 ₩69.1K

-11.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$3.46 ₩5,109

-15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.90

$0.57 ₩840

29.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$9.00 ₩13.3K

14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.44

$1.25 ₩1,846

-16.80%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$27.9K ₩41.2M

38.41%

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

$27.6K NT$891.5K

$25.4K ₩37.4M

8.90%

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

$86.2 NT$2,781

$160 ₩236.5K

-46.23%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$34.41 ₩50.8K

-45.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$790

$22.05 ₩32.5K

11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,341

$58.0 ₩85.5K

-28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$23.44 ₩34.6K

-40.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$10.93 ₩16.1K

7.14%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$417 ₩615.5K

54.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$608.4K

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-20.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,921

$59.2 ₩87.3K

0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,078

$48.41 ₩71.4K

-31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$2,999

$79.9 ₩117.8K

16.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,915

$115 ₩169.4K

5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$944 ₩1.4M

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$588 ₩867.2K

-8.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$2,584 ₩3.8M

-36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$1,312 ₩1.9M

-17.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.3K

$26.0K ₩38.4M

-50.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.3K

$10.7K ₩15.8M

-28.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$3,149 ₩4.6M

-45.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

4.14

-47.10%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $944 in Seoul. 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 84% 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 $40.00 in Taipei versus $54.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $491 – 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

Taipei vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 18% more than Taipei, 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 $2,246 per month in Taipei and $2,647 in Seoul. 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 14% less in Taipei. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $643 per month in Taipei and $417 in Seoul. 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 $1,497, than in Seoul at $1,765. 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.