Shanghai vs Seoul Cost of Living
Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 13% more expensive than Shanghai.
- Transport in Seoul is 26% more expensive than in Shanghai.
- Dining out in Seoul is 18% more expensive than in Shanghai.
| Item | Shanghai | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +3% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,123 | $1,128 | 0% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $819 | $885 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,667 | $2,631 | -1% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,498 | $1,576 | +5% |
| Groceries | +12% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.89 | $0.97 | +9% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.39 | $3.03 | +27% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.36 | $3.33 | -1% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.12 | $3.32 | +6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.28 | $9.47 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8 | $8.39 | +5% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.9 | $14.8 | +15% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.55 | $4.15 | +17% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.42 | $1.53 | +8% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.11 | $3.36 | +8% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.04 | $3.73 | +23% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.83 | $2.22 | +21% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.6 | $1.86 | +16% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.6 | $1.71 | +7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $1.67 | +3% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.46 | $11.7 | +24% |
| Transport | +26% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.25 | $1.68 | +34% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $69.5 | $68.9 | -1% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.95 | $2.76 | +42% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.91 | $1.34 | +47% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.52 | $0.53 | +2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,544 | $18,844 | +39% |
| Dining out | +18% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $14.8 | +32% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $71.4 | $84.8 | +19% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.06 | $7.96 | +31% |
| Cappuccino | $3.29 | $3.11 | -5% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $1.89 | +24% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.76 | $4.53 | +20% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.63 | $5.53 | +19% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.43 | +13% |
| Telecom | +10% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.8 | $45.1 | +19% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $42.3 | $47.3 | +12% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.22 | +5% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $11.3 | +6% |
| Utilities & household | +15% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $130 | +15% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.16 | +14% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.88 | $3.13 | +9% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.81 | $1.03 | +27% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $13.2 | $15.9 | +20% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $49.5 | $60.9 | +23% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.96 | $9.46 | +6% |
| Men's haircut | $20.7 | $22.9 | +11% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.8 | $16.6 | +5% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,193 | $1,561 | +31% |
2,971 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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