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Seoul vs Tokyo cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ท Seoul
๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo
At a glance
- Where Tokyo is clearly cheaper: Massage (27%โ), SIM card (22%โ), Convenience store (16%โ)
- Where Seoul is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (89%โ), Entry ticket (84%โ), Taxi (62%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Seoul is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: payments โ Seoul 1 vs Tokyo 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Seoul | Tokyo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | ยฅ 1,100$7.43 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | Seoul โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Seoul โ20% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | ยฅ 600$4.05 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | ยฅ 650$4.39 | Seoul โ9% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Tokyo โ7% |
| Bottled water | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | ยฅ 130$0.88 | Seoul โ18% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | ยฅ 180$1.22 | Tokyo โ16% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฉ 8,500$6.16 | ยฅ 2,400$16.2 | Seoul โ62% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Seoul โ41% |
| Transitone ride | โฉ 1,550$1.12 | ยฅ 210$1.42 | Seoul โ21% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Seoul โ89% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฉ 110,000$79.7 | ยฅ 16,000$108 | Seoul โ26% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฉ 1,000,000$725 | ยฅ 150,000$1,014 | Seoul โ29% |
| Laundry | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | Tokyo โ22% |
| Haircutcut | โฉ 18,000$13 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Seoul โ52% |
| Massage1 hour | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | ยฅ 5,500$37.2 | Tokyo โ27% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | ยฅ 9,000$60.8 | Seoul โ17% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Seoul โ84% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Seoul or Tokyo?
Seoul is 28% cheaper than Tokyo. Daily budget $150 vs $212; a month $2,762 vs $3,723.
Which is easier to travel, Seoul or Tokyo?
Seoul is easier: Seoul 1.4/5 vs Tokyo 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Seoul and Tokyo?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Seoul is about $2,762 and Tokyo about $3,723 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.