Japan vs South Korea — cost of living
Seoul housing rivals Tokyo's, but the food and transit cost-per-yen-equivalent are closer than headlines suggest.
Tokyo monthly mid-range cost in KRW
JP¥221,000
≈ ₩2,090,329(1 JPY = 9.45850 KRW, asOf 2026-05-15)
Overview
Korea-Japan comparisons often understate Seoul's housing burden — the famous 'jeonse' deposit system can require ₩100M+ upfront, alien to Japanese buyers used to monthly rent. Day-to-day, Seoul food (₩8,000-12,000 typical lunch) is similar to Tokyo. Korea has been gaining on Japan in nominal incomes for a decade, narrowing the historical 'cheap travel destination' angle. Bullet train trips between the two are 2 hours by air or competitively-priced via budget carriers.
Side-by-side examples
| Japan | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1K central) | ₩900,000-1,400,000 equiv. | ₩900,000-1,500,000 (Seoul) |
| Subway base fare | ¥170-200 (≒₩1,400-1,700) | ₩1,400 (Seoul Metro) |
| Mid-range dinner out | ¥1,500-3,000 | ₩15,000-30,000 (Seoul) |