Seoul vs Shanghai Cost of Living
Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3 — Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2
Summary
- Overall, Shanghai is 11% cheaper than Seoul.
- Transport in Shanghai is 21% cheaper than in Seoul.
- Dining out in Shanghai is 15% cheaper than in Seoul.
| Item | Seoul | Shanghai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -3% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,128 | $1,123 | 0% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $885 | $819 | -7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,631 | $2,667 | +1% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,576 | $1,498 | -5% |
| Groceries | -11% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $0.89 | -8% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $2.39 | -21% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.36 | +1% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.12 | -6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.47 | $8.28 | -13% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.39 | $8 | -5% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $12.9 | -13% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.15 | $3.55 | -14% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.42 | -7% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.36 | $3.11 | -7% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.73 | $3.04 | -18% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $1.83 | -18% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $1.6 | -14% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.6 | -6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.62 | -3% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.7 | $9.46 | -19% |
| Transport | -21% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.68 | $1.25 | -26% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $68.9 | $69.5 | +1% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $1.95 | -29% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.34 | $0.91 | -32% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.53 | $0.52 | -2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,844 | $13,544 | -28% |
| Dining out | -15% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $11.2 | -24% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $84.8 | $71.4 | -16% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.96 | $6.06 | -24% |
| Cappuccino | $3.11 | $3.29 | +6% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.53 | -19% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $3.76 | -17% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.53 | $4.63 | -16% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.27 | -11% |
| Telecom | -9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $45.1 | $37.8 | -16% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.3 | $42.3 | -11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.22 | $0.21 | -5% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $10.7 | -5% |
| Utilities & household | -13% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $130 | $113 | -13% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.16 | $0.14 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $2.88 | -8% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.03 | $0.81 | -21% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.9 | $13.2 | -17% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.9 | $49.5 | -19% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.46 | $8.96 | -5% |
| Men's haircut | $22.9 | $20.7 | -10% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.6 | $15.8 | -5% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,561 | $1,193 | -24% |
2,971 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs