Chennai vs Seoul Cost of Living
Chennai (India) · Overall index 21.8 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 144% more expensive than Chennai.
- Rent in Seoul is 257% more expensive than in Chennai.
- Transport in Seoul is 177% more expensive than in Chennai.
| Item | Chennai | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +257% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $319 | $1,128 | +254% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $258 | $885 | +243% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $706 | $2,631 | +273% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $434 | $1,576 | +263% |
| Groceries | +127% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.42 | $0.97 | +131% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.2 | $3.03 | +153% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.39 | $3.33 | +140% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.64 | $3.32 | +102% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $3.78 | $9.47 | +151% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.84 | $8.39 | +118% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.34 | $14.8 | +133% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.55 | $4.15 | +168% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.71 | $1.53 | +115% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.53 | $3.36 | +120% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.63 | $3.73 | +129% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $0.97 | $2.22 | +129% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.91 | $1.86 | +104% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.77 | $1.71 | +122% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.82 | $1.67 | +104% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.13 | $11.7 | +128% |
| Transport | +177% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.58 | $1.68 | +190% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $30.2 | $68.9 | +128% |
| Taxi, base fare | $0.98 | $2.76 | +182% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.46 | $1.34 | +191% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.19 | $0.53 | +179% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $6,540 | $18,844 | +188% |
| Dining out | +158% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.24 | $14.8 | +137% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $29.8 | $84.8 | +185% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.25 | $7.96 | +145% |
| Cappuccino | $1.19 | $3.11 | +161% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.72 | $1.89 | +163% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $4.53 | +146% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.14 | $5.53 | +158% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.51 | $1.43 | +180% |
| Telecom | +79% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $22.7 | $45.1 | +99% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $27.4 | $47.3 | +73% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.13 | $0.22 | +69% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.44 | $11.3 | +75% |
| Utilities & household | +133% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $53.9 | $130 | +141% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.06 | $0.16 | +167% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.29 | $3.13 | +143% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.4 | $1.03 | +158% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.09 | $15.9 | +124% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $25.7 | $60.9 | +137% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.18 | $9.46 | +83% |
| Men's haircut | $9.24 | $22.9 | +148% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $8.05 | $16.6 | +106% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $629 | $1,561 | +148% |
3,069 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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