Cost of Living Comparison Between South Korea and China 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in China is 48.6% lower than in South Korea (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in China is 45.6% lower than in South Korea | |
| Rent Prices in China are 31.7% lower than in South Korea | |
| Restaurant Prices in China are 37.1% lower than in South Korea | |
| Groceries Prices in China are 55.8% lower than in South Korea | |
| Local Purchasing Power in China is 18.8% lower than in South Korea | |
Restaurants | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
10,000.00 ₩ (49.61 ¥) |
4,249.74 ₩ (21.08 ¥) |
-57.5 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
60,000.00 ₩ (297.64 ¥) |
36,285.46 ₩ (180.00 ¥) |
-39.5 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
8,000.00 ₩ (39.69 ¥) |
7,206.70 ₩ (35.75 ¥) |
-9.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
5,000.00 ₩ (24.80 ¥) |
1,411.10 ₩ (7.00 ¥) |
-71.8 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
6,750.00 ₩ (33.48 ¥) |
3,023.79 ₩ (15.00 ¥) |
-55.2 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
5,022.43 ₩ (24.91 ¥) |
4,481.16 ₩ (22.23 ¥) |
-10.8 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
2,138.76 ₩ (10.61 ¥) |
663.18 ₩ (3.29 ¥) |
-69.0 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
1,073.77 ₩ (5.33 ¥) |
414.72 ₩ (2.06 ¥) |
-61.4 % |
Markets | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
11,296.47 ₩ (56.04 ¥) |
9,915.14 ₩ (49.19 ¥) |
-12.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
3,833.34 ₩ (19.02 ¥) |
2,178.30 ₩ (10.81 ¥) |
-43.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
1,869.73 ₩ (9.28 ¥) |
619.75 ₩ (3.07 ¥) |
-66.9 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
4,259.82 ₩ (21.13 ¥) |
2,344.24 ₩ (11.63 ¥) |
-45.0 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
8,517.79 ₩ (42.25 ¥) |
8,623.84 ₩ (42.78 ¥) |
+1.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
5,718.33 ₩ (28.37 ¥) |
2,175.21 ₩ (10.79 ¥) |
-62.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
18,690.11 ₩ (92.72 ¥) |
7,147.96 ₩ (35.46 ¥) |
-61.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
4,840.53 ₩ (24.01 ¥) |
1,175.15 ₩ (5.83 ¥) |
-75.7 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
2,135.18 ₩ (10.59 ¥) |
838.35 ₩ (4.16 ¥) |
-60.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
3,654.00 ₩ (18.13 ¥) |
983.94 ₩ (4.88 ¥) |
-73.1 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
3,792.62 ₩ (18.81 ¥) |
773.22 ₩ (3.84 ¥) |
-79.6 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
2,386.95 ₩ (11.84 ¥) |
493.85 ₩ (2.45 ¥) |
-79.3 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
1,797.15 ₩ (8.92 ¥) |
593.21 ₩ (2.94 ¥) |
-67.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
3,373.78 ₩ (16.74 ¥) |
874.59 ₩ (4.34 ¥) |
-74.1 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1,616.63 ₩ (8.02 ¥) |
801.17 ₩ (3.97 ¥) |
-50.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
25,000.00 ₩ (124.02 ¥) |
16,126.87 ₩ (80.00 ¥) |
-35.5 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
2,972.73 ₩ (14.75 ¥) |
1,167.30 ₩ (5.79 ¥) |
-60.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
4,049.30 ₩ (20.09 ¥) |
2,394.55 ₩ (11.88 ¥) |
-40.9 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
4,500.00 ₩ (22.32 ¥) |
5,039.65 ₩ (25.00 ¥) |
+12.0 % |
Transportation | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
1,500.00 ₩ (7.44 ¥) |
604.76 ₩ (3.00 ¥) |
-59.7 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
65,000.00 ₩ (322.44 ¥) |
37,583.75 ₩ (186.44 ¥) |
-42.2 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
4,500.00 ₩ (22.32 ¥) |
2,015.86 ₩ (10.00 ¥) |
-55.2 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
1,351.25 ₩ (6.70 ¥) |
811.05 ₩ (4.02 ¥) |
-40.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
12,000.00 ₩ (59.53 ¥) |
9,676.12 ₩ (48.00 ¥) |
-19.4 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
6,267.07 ₩ (31.09 ¥) |
6,295.95 ₩ (31.23 ¥) |
+0.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
37,731,000.00 ₩ (187,170.82 ¥) |
28,222,027.85 ₩ (140,000.00 ¥) |
-25.2 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
31,977,788.49 ₩ (158,631.07 ¥) |
24,456,998.33 ₩ (121,322.95 ¥) |
-23.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
230,135.14 ₩ (1,141.62 ¥) |
74,632.86 ₩ (370.23 ¥) |
-67.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
55,030.80 ₩ (272.99 ¥) |
14,595.61 ₩ (72.40 ¥) |
-73.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
29,519.89 ₩ (146.44 ¥) |
16,824.43 ₩ (83.46 ¥) |
-43.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
70,562.23 ₩ (350.04 ¥) |
58,229.66 ₩ (288.86 ¥) |
-17.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
28,575.00 ₩ (141.75 ¥) |
21,421.02 ₩ (106.26 ¥) |
-25.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
15,000.00 ₩ (74.41 ¥) |
9,071.37 ₩ (45.00 ¥) |
-39.5 % |
Childcare | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
541,131.18 ₩ (2,684.37 ¥) |
603,051.47 ₩ (2,991.54 ¥) |
+11.4 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
30,434,542.01 ₩ (150,975.54 ¥) |
25,880,558.76 ₩ (128,384.76 ¥) |
-15.0 % |
Clothing And Shoes | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
79,893.65 ₩ (396.33 ¥) |
67,784.98 ₩ (336.26 ¥) |
-15.2 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
67,548.05 ₩ (335.08 ¥) |
47,576.60 ₩ (236.01 ¥) |
-29.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
113,689.56 ₩ (563.98 ¥) |
105,745.37 ₩ (524.57 ¥) |
-7.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
150,454.55 ₩ (746.35 ¥) |
109,066.22 ₩ (541.04 ¥) |
-27.5 % |
Rent Per Month | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
796,907.87 ₩ (3,953.19 ¥) |
670,516.84 ₩ (3,326.21 ¥) |
-15.9 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
500,570.16 ₩ (2,483.16 ¥) |
391,215.03 ₩ (1,940.69 ¥) |
-21.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
2,189,326.86 ₩ (10,860.52 ¥) |
1,397,612.14 ₩ (6,933.08 ¥) |
-36.2 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
1,289,899.13 ₩ (6,398.76 ¥) |
801,208.55 ₩ (3,974.53 ¥) |
-37.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
1,723,250.82 ₩ (8,548.47 ¥) |
911,136.90 ₩ (4,519.84 ¥) |
-47.1 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
1,151,375.09 ₩ (5,711.59 ¥) |
442,648.03 ₩ (2,195.83 ¥) |
-61.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | South Korea Edit |
China Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
3,080,328.60 ₩ (15,280.48 ¥) |
1,359,793.70 ₩ (6,745.48 ¥) |
-55.9 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.51 | 4.15 | -8.1 % |
| Last update: | March 2025 | April 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 310 | 1268 |
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