Tokyo vs Seoul Cost of Living
Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 1% cheaper than Tokyo.
- Telecom in Seoul is 7% cheaper than in Tokyo.
- Transport in Seoul is 3% more expensive than in Tokyo.
| Item | Tokyo | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -1% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,307 | $1,128 | -14% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $782 | $885 | +13% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,737 | $2,631 | -4% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,558 | $1,576 | +1% |
| Groceries | 0% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.87 | $0.97 | +11% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.62 | $3.03 | +16% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.43 | $3.33 | -3% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.26 | $3.32 | +2% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.15 | $9.47 | +3% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.77 | $8.39 | -14% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.2 | $14.8 | +4% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.74 | $4.15 | +11% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.62 | $1.53 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3 | $3.36 | +12% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.44 | $3.73 | -16% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.3 | $2.22 | -3% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.06 | $1.86 | -10% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.69 | $1.71 | +1% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.8 | $1.67 | -7% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.4 | $11.7 | +3% |
| Transport | +3% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.65 | $1.68 | +2% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $75.4 | $68.9 | -9% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.32 | $2.76 | +19% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.23 | $1.34 | +9% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.58 | $0.53 | -9% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,186 | $18,844 | +4% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.8 | $14.8 | +7% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $70.3 | $84.8 | +21% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.88 | $7.96 | +1% |
| Cappuccino | $3.87 | $3.11 | -20% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.65 | $1.89 | +15% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.95 | $4.53 | -8% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.82 | $5.53 | -5% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.35 | $1.43 | +6% |
| Telecom | -7% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $41.5 | $45.1 | +9% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $52.1 | $47.3 | -9% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.26 | $0.22 | -15% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.7 | $11.3 | -11% |
| Utilities & household | -1% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $126 | $130 | +3% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.16 | +7% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.07 | $3.13 | +2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.05 | $1.03 | -2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $16.3 | $15.9 | -2% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $62.2 | $60.9 | -2% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.79 | $9.46 | -3% |
| Men's haircut | $23.3 | $22.9 | -2% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.8 | $16.6 | -12% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,434 | $1,561 | +9% |
2,868 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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