Studying in Japan vs. South Korea
Japan and South Korea are both popular study destinations — but the price tag, visa rules, and currency differ. We pulled the numbers from our cost calculator: monthly living averages €571 in Japan and €679 in South Korea.
Side-by-side comparison
Verdict
Cheaper tuition
Japan
Cheaper monthly living
Japan
Lower visa proof of funds
South Korea
Side-by-side comparison
Japan
South Korea
Currency
JPY (¥)
KRW (₩)
Public tuition (annual)
¥535,800
≈ €2,951 / yr
₩8,000,000
≈ €5,098 / yr
Private tuition (annual)
¥1,000,000
≈ €5,507 / yr
₩12,000,000
≈ €7,646 / yr
Monthly living (city avg)
¥103,625 / mo
≈ €571 / mo
₩1,066,250 / mo
≈ €679 / mo
Visa proof of funds
¥2,000,000
Bank balance proof (COE)
₩13,000,000
Bank balance proof (D-2 visa)
Cities tracked
Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka
Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu
Figures are 2026 reference estimates from our cost calculator. Actual costs vary by city, program, and lifestyle.