Kyoto vs Seoul Cost of Living
Kyoto (Japan) · Overall index 45.5 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 17% more expensive than Kyoto.
- Rent in Seoul is 48% more expensive than in Kyoto.
- Dining out in Seoul is 21% more expensive than in Kyoto.
| Item | Kyoto | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +48% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $792 | $1,128 | +42% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $629 | $885 | +41% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,740 | $2,631 | +51% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $996 | $1,576 | +58% |
| Groceries | +12% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.9 | $0.97 | +8% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.47 | $3.03 | +23% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.08 | $3.33 | +8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.16 | $3.32 | +5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.85 | $9.47 | +7% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.61 | $8.39 | +10% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.6 | $14.8 | +17% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.24 | $4.15 | +28% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.41 | $1.53 | +9% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.92 | $3.36 | +15% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.18 | $3.73 | +17% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.74 | $2.22 | +28% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.74 | $1.86 | +7% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.64 | $1.71 | +4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.67 | 0% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.7 | $11.7 | +9% |
| Transport | +17% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.45 | $1.68 | +16% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $67.2 | $68.9 | +3% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.35 | $2.76 | +17% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.95 | $1.34 | +41% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.54 | $0.53 | -2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,524 | $18,844 | +30% |
| Dining out | +21% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.3 | $14.8 | +20% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $68.9 | $84.8 | +23% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.43 | $7.96 | +24% |
| Cappuccino | $2.74 | $3.11 | +14% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.89 | +32% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.48 | $4.53 | +1% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.19 | $5.53 | +32% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.17 | $1.43 | +22% |
| Telecom | +1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $43.6 | $45.1 | +3% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $49.4 | $47.3 | -4% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.23 | $0.22 | -4% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.3 | $11.3 | +10% |
| Utilities & household | +12% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $99.2 | $130 | +31% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.13 | $0.16 | +23% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $3.13 | 0% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.88 | $1.03 | +17% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $14.2 | $15.9 | +12% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $47.7 | $60.9 | +28% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.91 | $9.46 | -5% |
| Men's haircut | $18.2 | $22.9 | +26% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $17.6 | $16.6 | -6% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,441 | $1,561 | +8% |
2,987 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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