Chengdu vs Seoul Cost of Living
Chengdu (China) · Overall index 33.6 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 59% more expensive than Chengdu.
- Rent in Seoul is 87% more expensive than in Chengdu.
- Dining out in Seoul is 70% more expensive than in Chengdu.
| Item | Chengdu | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +87% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $643 | $1,128 | +75% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $495 | $885 | +79% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,315 | $2,631 | +100% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,576 | +96% |
| Groceries | +54% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.55 | $0.97 | +76% |
| White bread (500g) | $2 | $3.03 | +51% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.14 | $3.33 | +56% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.99 | $3.32 | +67% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.75 | $9.47 | +65% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.46 | $8.39 | +30% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.84 | $14.8 | +89% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.31 | $4.15 | +80% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.01 | $1.53 | +51% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.21 | $3.36 | +52% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.67 | $3.73 | +40% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.45 | $2.22 | +53% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.35 | $1.86 | +38% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.33 | $1.71 | +29% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.17 | $1.67 | +43% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.23 | $11.7 | +62% |
| Transport | +66% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.05 | $1.68 | +60% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $42.4 | $68.9 | +63% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.56 | $2.76 | +77% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.75 | $1.34 | +79% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.39 | $0.53 | +36% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,179 | $18,844 | +85% |
| Dining out | +70% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.02 | $14.8 | +64% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $50.3 | $84.8 | +69% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4.32 | $7.96 | +84% |
| Cappuccino | $2.01 | $3.11 | +55% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.96 | $1.89 | +97% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.9 | $4.53 | +56% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.18 | $5.53 | +74% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.87 | $1.43 | +64% |
| Telecom | +34% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.9 | $45.1 | +33% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.1 | $47.3 | +47% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.2 | $0.22 | +10% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.74 | $11.3 | +46% |
| Utilities & household | +50% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $77.7 | $130 | +67% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.16 | +60% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.02 | $3.13 | +55% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.71 | $1.03 | +45% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.5 | $15.9 | +51% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $38.9 | $60.9 | +57% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.45 | $9.46 | +27% |
| Men's haircut | $15.1 | $22.9 | +52% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.3 | $16.6 | +35% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,005 | $1,561 | +55% |
3,060 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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