Shenzhen vs Seoul Cost of Living
Shenzhen (China) · Overall index 42.7 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 25% more expensive than Shenzhen.
- Dining out in Seoul is 34% more expensive than in Shenzhen.
- Transport in Seoul is 29% more expensive than in Shenzhen.
| Item | Shenzhen | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +18% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,185 | $1,128 | -5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $709 | $885 | +25% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,871 | $2,631 | +41% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,378 | $1,576 | +14% |
| Groceries | +27% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.69 | $0.97 | +41% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.09 | $3.03 | +45% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.01 | $3.33 | +11% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.96 | $3.32 | +12% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.47 | $9.47 | +27% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.93 | $8.39 | +6% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $11.5 | $14.8 | +29% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.14 | $4.15 | +32% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.06 | $1.53 | +44% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.37 | $3.36 | +42% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.07 | $3.73 | +21% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.74 | $2.22 | +28% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.72 | $1.86 | +8% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.34 | $1.71 | +28% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.28 | $1.67 | +30% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.84 | $11.7 | +49% |
| Transport | +29% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.29 | $1.68 | +30% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $60.1 | $68.9 | +15% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.92 | $2.76 | +44% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.85 | $1.34 | +58% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.51 | $0.53 | +4% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,764 | $18,844 | +28% |
| Dining out | +34% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $10.5 | $14.8 | +41% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $62 | $84.8 | +37% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.39 | $7.96 | +48% |
| Cappuccino | $2.52 | $3.11 | +23% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.35 | $1.89 | +40% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.34 | $4.53 | +36% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.6 | $5.53 | +20% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.1 | $1.43 | +30% |
| Telecom | +17% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $34.2 | $45.1 | +32% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $45.9 | $47.3 | +3% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.22 | +16% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $9.43 | $11.3 | +20% |
| Utilities & household | +24% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $102 | $130 | +27% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.16 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.58 | $3.13 | +21% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.84 | $1.03 | +23% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12.8 | $15.9 | +24% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $43.6 | $60.9 | +40% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.72 | $9.46 | -3% |
| Men's haircut | $16.4 | $22.9 | +40% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.5 | $16.6 | +7% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,090 | $1,561 | +43% |
3,186 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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