Taipei vs Seoul Cost of Living
Taipei (Taiwan) · Overall index 47.4 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 12% more expensive than Taipei.
- Dining out in Seoul is 22% more expensive than in Taipei.
- Transport in Seoul is 18% more expensive than in Taipei.
| Item | Taipei | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +4% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,266 | $1,128 | -11% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $822 | $885 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,494 | $2,631 | +5% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,378 | $1,576 | +14% |
| Groceries | +15% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.76 | $0.97 | +28% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.57 | $3.03 | +18% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.31 | $3.33 | +1% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.13 | $3.32 | +6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.9 | $9.47 | +20% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.86 | $8.39 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $11.4 | $14.8 | +30% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.13 | $4.15 | +33% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.26 | $1.53 | +21% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.04 | $3.36 | +11% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.62 | $3.73 | +3% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.63 | $2.22 | +36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.84 | $1.86 | +1% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.73 | $1.71 | -1% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.39 | $1.67 | +20% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.5 | $11.7 | +11% |
| Transport | +18% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.48 | $1.68 | +14% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $67.1 | $68.9 | +3% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.29 | $2.76 | +21% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.98 | $1.34 | +37% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.54 | $0.53 | -2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,081 | $18,844 | +44% |
| Dining out | +22% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13 | $14.8 | +14% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $67.9 | $84.8 | +25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.89 | $7.96 | +16% |
| Cappuccino | $3.02 | $3.11 | +3% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.38 | $1.89 | +37% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.83 | $4.53 | +18% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.29 | $5.53 | +29% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.04 | $1.43 | +37% |
| Telecom | +4% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $43.9 | $45.1 | +3% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $45.4 | $47.3 | +4% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.23 | $0.22 | -4% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $9.94 | $11.3 | +14% |
| Utilities & household | +11% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $111 | $130 | +17% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.16 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.75 | $3.13 | +14% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.92 | $1.03 | +12% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.1 | $15.9 | +5% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $54.9 | $60.9 | +11% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.93 | $9.46 | +6% |
| Men's haircut | $21.7 | $22.9 | +6% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $17 | $16.6 | -2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,307 | $1,561 | +19% |
3,062 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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