Japan vs South Korea: country comparison

A UN member state, or a continent's average.

The page updates.

In US dollars, spent in each country.

$100 spent in Japan buys about what

$88.47

buys in South Korea, at purchasing power parity

And $100 in South Korea buys what $113 buys in Japan. Prices across Japan's economy average 113% of South Korea's, so a dollar goes 13% further in South Korea.

World Bank figures for 2025 unless another year is shown
MeasureJapanSouth Korea
Economy
Population123.4 million51.7 million
GDPUS dollars, market exchange rates$4.44 trillion$1.87 trillion
GDP per personUS dollars$35,951$36,227
GDP per person at PPPInternational dollars$55,422$63,125
Prices
Price levelUS prices = 100%65%57%
A US dollar goes as far as$1.54 in the US$1.74 in the US
Income
Median income or consumptionPer person, international dollars$42.17 a day2020 survey · $15,392 a year · income$54.25 a day2021 survey · $19,801 a year · income
More figures: GDP at PPP, conversion factor and GNI
Gross national income is what residents earn, at home and abroad
MeasureJapanSouth Korea
GDP at PPPInternational dollars$6.84 trillion$3.26 trillion
PPP conversion factorLocal currency per international dollar97.08Japanese yen816.3Korean won
GNI per person, Atlas methodUS dollars$38,340$37,880
GNI per person at PPPInternational dollars$58,920$64,210

World Bank income groups: Japan, high income; South Korea, high income.

GDP per person at PPP · 2000 to 2025, in constant 2021 international dollarsAdjusted for inflation, so recent years read lower than the current-dollar figures above.
  • Japan
  • South Korea
Year-by-year table
YearJapanSouth Korea
2025$48,283$55,697
2024$47,480$55,071
2023$47,387$54,029
2022$46,819$53,229
2021$45,999$51,718
2020$44,213$49,374
2019$46,055$49,791
2018$46,133$48,834
2017$45,693$47,537
2016$44,927$46,088
2015$44,589$44,849
2014$43,754$43,807
2013$43,304$42,710
2012$42,395$41,538
2011$41,641$40,719
2010$41,647$39,574
2009$40,000$37,176
2008$42,519$37,064
2007$43,042$36,257
2006$42,359$34,430
2005$41,740$32,886
2004$40,987$31,580
2003$40,152$30,142
2002$39,690$29,395
2001$39,749$27,441
2000$39,732$26,404

Japan vs South Korea: country comparison by Points Frog ↗ · An educational estimate, not financial advice.