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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Tokyo is about 3% cheaper than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.59 ₩13.2K

-5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$54.3 ₩83.2K

-11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.30 ₩9,657

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.88 ₩5,952

-7.99%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.72 ₩2,643

-26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.86 ₩1,311

8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$3.60 ₩5,509

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$5.94 ₩9,098

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$2.22 ₩3,409

-28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$3.45 ₩5,286

-53.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$3.13 ₩4,802

69.97%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$3.19 ₩4,884

-24.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$14.21 ₩21.8K

12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$10.99 ₩16.8K

-28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$34.74 ₩53.2K

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$7.97 ₩12.2K

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.46 ₩5,305

-25.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$5.43 ₩8,321

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.69 ₩10.2K

-10.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.80 ₩5,828

-15.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.95 ₩4,514

18.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$2.63 ₩4,023

-43.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.27 ₩1,946

-29.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.23 ₩4,947

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$19.49 ₩29.9K

-51.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.42 ₩3,709

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.25 ₩4,976

-11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.12 ₩1,710

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$47.88 ₩73.4K

77.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.56 ₩5,456

-1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$0.54 ₩827

431.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$8.72 ₩13.4K

207.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.25 ₩1,910

-2.40%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$28.3K ₩43.3M

-17.00%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$25.3K ₩38.8M

-31.20%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$161 ₩246.1K

1.85%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$34.38 ₩52.7K

-22.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$22.41 ₩34.3K

51.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$57.0 ₩87.3K

20.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$23.23 ₩35.6K

-13.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.19 ₩17.1K

16.71%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$412 ₩631.5K

22.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$23.7K ₩36.2M

-33.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$58.7 ₩89.9K

2.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$46.80 ₩71.7K

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$78.3 ₩120.0K

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$114 ₩175.0K

-20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$957 ₩1.5M

14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$604 ₩924.7K

-1.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$2,580 ₩4.0M

1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$1,308 ₩2.0M

2.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$18.2K ₩27.8M

-40.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$9,223 ₩14.1M

-46.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$3,095 ₩4.7M

-19.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

4.14

-58.45%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $957 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 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $54.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $500 – 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

Tokyo vs Seoul: 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 $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $2,613 in Seoul. 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 $506 per month in Tokyo and $412 in Seoul. 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.