Seoul vs Beijing Cost of Living
Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3 — Beijing (China) · Overall index 43.4
Summary
- Overall, Beijing is 19% cheaper than Seoul.
- Transport in Beijing is 25% cheaper than in Seoul.
- Utilities & household in Beijing is 21% cheaper than in Seoul.
| Item | Seoul | Beijing | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -15% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,128 | $1,210 | +7% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $885 | $654 | -26% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,631 | $2,286 | -13% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,576 | $1,225 | -22% |
| Groceries | -21% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $0.75 | -23% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $2.35 | -22% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.05 | -8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $2.51 | -24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.47 | $7.18 | -24% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.39 | $6.51 | -22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $10.2 | -31% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.15 | $3.16 | -24% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.08 | -29% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.36 | $2.56 | -24% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.73 | $2.81 | -25% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $1.88 | -15% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $1.54 | -17% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.5 | -12% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.52 | -9% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.7 | $9.64 | -18% |
| Transport | -25% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.68 | $1.16 | -31% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $68.9 | $59.6 | -13% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $1.93 | -30% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.34 | $0.86 | -36% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.53 | $0.47 | -11% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,844 | $14,148 | -25% |
| Dining out | -20% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $12.9 | -13% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $84.8 | $63.4 | -25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.96 | $6.18 | -22% |
| Cappuccino | $3.11 | $2.85 | -8% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.38 | -27% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $4.1 | -9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.53 | $3.8 | -31% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.15 | -20% |
| Telecom | -11% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $45.1 | $41.6 | -8% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.3 | $39.8 | -16% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.22 | $0.21 | -5% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $9.77 | -14% |
| Utilities & household | -21% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $130 | $91.2 | -30% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.16 | $0.14 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $2.62 | -16% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.03 | $0.86 | -17% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.9 | $11.8 | -26% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.9 | $45 | -26% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.46 | $7.83 | -17% |
| Men's haircut | $22.9 | $17.1 | -25% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.6 | $13.8 | -17% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,561 | $1,236 | -21% |
3,038 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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