GeoRealityMatch
Aerial skyline of Seoul from forested hillsides, featuring distant mountains.South Korea
A beautiful night cityscape of Taipei with Taipei 101 illuminated against the skyline.Taiwan

Compare countries · South Korea vs Taiwan

South Korea vs Taiwan

South KoreaEastern AsiaTaiwanEastern Asia

Taiwan is cheaper (cost of living 49.7 vs 61.6) and more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.751 vs 1.839).

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Safety

Taiwan is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
South Korea1.839High safety#56 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Taiwan1.751High safety#42 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
South Korea0.5Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
TaiwanNo figure from UNODC / World Bank
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
South Korea71HighNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan83Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
South KoreaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
TaiwanNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
Money

Flats cost fewer years of income in South Korea

Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
South Korea24.1Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan25.3Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
South Korea$37,880Very highWorld Bank · 2025
TaiwanNo figure from World Bank
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
South Korea61.6ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan49.7AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
South Korea16.1ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Taiwan14.2ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Health
Life expectancyyears, at birth
South Korea83.6Very highWorld Bank · 2024
TaiwanNo figure from World Bank
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
South Korea88Very highWHO · 2023
TaiwanNo figure from WHO
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
South Korea19.2ModerateWHO · 2023
TaiwanNo figure from WHO
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Taiwan

Fixed broadbandmedian download speed
South Korea253 MbpsVery fast#18 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Taiwan269 MbpsVery fast#15 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
South Korea522ModerateEF EPI · 2025
TaiwanNo figure from EF EPI
How it changed

Human development: South Korea 0.937

South Korea

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:South KoreaTaiwan

Practical facts

Capital
Seoul
Taipei
Population
51.7M (2025)
—
Languages
Korean
Chinese
Currency
South Korean won (KRW)
New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Area
97,600 km²
—
Plug type
Type C/F
Type A/B
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

South Korea and Taiwan, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is South Korea cheaper than Taiwan?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts South Korea at 61.6 and Taiwan at 49.7. Taiwan is about 19% cheaper overall.

Is South Korea or Taiwan safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), South Korea scores 1.84 and Taiwan scores 1.75. Taiwan ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by 정규송 Nui MALAMA, Jimmy Liao on Pexels