Seoul vs Kyoto Cost of Living
Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3 — Kyoto (Japan) · Overall index 45.5
Summary
- Overall, Kyoto is 15% cheaper than Seoul.
- Rent in Kyoto is 33% cheaper than in Seoul.
- Dining out in Kyoto is 17% cheaper than in Seoul.
| Item | Seoul | Kyoto | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -33% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,128 | $792 | -30% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $885 | $629 | -29% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,631 | $1,740 | -34% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,576 | $996 | -37% |
| Groceries | -11% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $0.9 | -7% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $2.47 | -18% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.08 | -8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.16 | -5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.47 | $8.85 | -7% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.39 | $7.61 | -9% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $12.6 | -15% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.15 | $3.24 | -22% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.41 | -8% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.36 | $2.92 | -13% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.73 | $3.18 | -15% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $1.74 | -22% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $1.74 | -6% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.64 | -4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.67 | 0% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.7 | $10.7 | -9% |
| Transport | -14% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.68 | $1.45 | -14% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $68.9 | $67.2 | -2% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $2.35 | -15% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.34 | $0.95 | -29% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.53 | $0.54 | +2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,844 | $14,524 | -23% |
| Dining out | -17% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $12.3 | -17% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $84.8 | $68.9 | -19% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.96 | $6.43 | -19% |
| Cappuccino | $3.11 | $2.74 | -12% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.43 | -24% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $4.48 | -1% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.53 | $4.19 | -24% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.17 | -18% |
| Telecom | -1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $45.1 | $43.6 | -3% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.3 | $49.4 | +4% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.22 | $0.23 | +5% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $10.3 | -9% |
| Utilities & household | -11% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $130 | $99.2 | -24% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.16 | $0.13 | -19% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $3.13 | 0% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.03 | $0.88 | -15% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.9 | $14.2 | -11% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.9 | $47.7 | -22% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.46 | $9.91 | +5% |
| Men's haircut | $22.9 | $18.2 | -21% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.6 | $17.6 | +6% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,561 | $1,441 | -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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