--- title: "Seoul vs Tokyo: Class A office comparison" description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for Seoul and Tokyo — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets." canonical: https://classa.info/compare/seoul-vs-tokyo pageType: comparison lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Seoul ($34/sqft, 5.2% vacancy) and Tokyo ($113/sqft, 4.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Seoul on rent and tax and Tokyo on talent depth. ## TL;DR - Class A rent: Seoul $34/sqft vs Tokyo $113/sqft. - Vacancy: Seoul 5.2% vs Tokyo 4.6%. - Talent index: Seoul 82 vs Tokyo 84. - Corporate tax: Seoul 24.2% vs Tokyo 30.6%. - Premium flex/seat/month: Seoul $880 vs Tokyo $980. # Seoul vs Tokyo: Class A office comparison **Seoul ($34/sqft, 5.2% vacancy) and Tokyo ($113/sqft, 4.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Seoul on rent and tax and Tokyo on talent depth.** ## TL;DR - [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: Seoul $34/sqft vs Tokyo $113/sqft. - Vacancy: Seoul 5.2% vs Tokyo 4.6%. - Talent index: Seoul 82 vs Tokyo 84. - Corporate tax: Seoul 24.2% vs Tokyo 30.6%. - [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: Seoul $880 vs Tokyo $980. ## Market data side-by-side | Metric | Seoul | Tokyo| | Region | APAC | APAC| | Country | South Korea | Japan| | Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $34 | $113| | Class A rent (local) | 142000 KRW | 50000 JPY| | Vacancy | 5.2% | 4.6%| | Trend | rising | rising| | Prime yield | 4% | 3%| | Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $880 | $980| | Submarkets covered | 6 | 6| | Corporate tax | 24.2% | 30.6%| ## Lease norms | Metric | Seoul | Tokyo| | Typical term | 5 yrs | 5 yrs| | Typical rent-free | 6 mos | 4 mos| | Lease norms | Standard 5-year lease (often 3+2). Rent + management fees billed separately. Large jeonse (lease deposit) common — 10-20x monthly rent. Reinstatement contractual. | Tokyo leases are typically 5-7 years with a 2-year tenant notice. Standard leases are 'fixed-term' (teiki shakuya) or 'ordinary' (futsu shakuya) — fixed-term is increasingly common for Grade A. Rent is base + common-area maintenance billed separately. Restoration to original (genjo kaifuku) is contractual and significant. Personal seal (jitsuin) requirements apply.| | Tax note | Combined federal corporate tax 24.2% (after surtax). Local taxes apply. | Effective corporate tax rate 30.6% (national + local). Tokyo Metropolitan corporate inhabitant tax adds a meaningful local component.| ## Talent | Metric | Seoul | Tokyo| | Talent index (0–100) | 82 | 84| | Talent note | Deepest tech (Samsung, LG, Naver, Kakao) and finance talent pool in Korea. Average all-in compensation indexes 82. | The largest single-language white-collar talent pool in the world. Average all-in compensation for senior knowledge workers indexes 84 vs. New York's 100, though English-fluent bilingual talent commands a premium.| ## Transit & commute **Seoul:** Seoul Metro covers every Class A address. KTX high-speed rail to Busan and other regional centres. Incheon Airport is 53 minutes by AREX express. **Tokyo:** JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address. Shinkansen termini at Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Ueno support inter-city corporate networks. ## Top submarkets — Seoul - [**Gangnam (GBD)**](/cities/seoul/gangnam) — [trophy tier](/topics/trophy-asset-selection) · ₩145,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $35.2 PSF/yr USD - [**Yeouido (YBD)**](/cities/seoul/yeouido) — trophy tier · ₩138,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $33.5 PSF/yr USD - [**Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD)**](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun) — trophy tier · ₩130,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $31.6 PSF/yr USD ## Top submarkets — Tokyo - [**Azabudai & Roppongi**](/cities/tokyo/azabudai-roppongi) — trophy tier · ¥60,000/[tsubo](/topics/apac-lease-conventions)">tsubo/mo · ≈ $136 PSF/yr USD - [**Marunouchi & Otemachi**](/cities/tokyo/marunouchi-otemachi) — trophy tier · ¥55,000/tsubo/mo · ≈ $124 PSF/yr USD - [**Toranomon**](/cities/tokyo/toranomon) — trophy tier · ¥50,000/tsubo/mo · ≈ $113 PSF/yr USD ## Decision criteria ### Pick by cost Seoul is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis. ### Pick by talent depth Tokyo has the deeper talent index (84/100 vs 82/100). ### Pick by tax Seoul has the lower headline corporate tax (24.2% vs 30.6%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially. ### Pick by lease optionality Seoul typical term is 5 years with 6 months free; Tokyo runs 5 years with 4 months free. ### Pick by transit Seoul: Seoul Metro covers every Class A address. KTX high-speed rail to Busan and other regional centres. Incheon Airport is 53 minutes by AREX express. Tokyo: JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address. Shinkansen termini at Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Ueno support inter-city corporate networks. ## Run a 4-city comparison Score Seoul, Tokyo and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD. [**Run a 4-city comparison →**](/tools/city-comparator) ## Frequently asked questions ****Is Class A office cheaper in Seoul or Tokyo?**** : Seoul is cheaper on a USD basis: $34/sqft vs $113/sqft. ****Which has better talent depth, Seoul or Tokyo?**** : Tokyo indexes higher on talent depth (84 vs 82). ****Which has more sublease availability, Seoul or Tokyo?**** : Seoul carries higher vacancy (5.2% vs 4.6%) and therefore typically more [sublease](/glossary/sublease) overhang. ****What lease term should I expect in Seoul vs Tokyo?**** : Seoul typical term is 5 years with 6 months rent-free; Tokyo typical term is 5 years with 4 months rent-free. ****How does transit and commuter access compare?**** : Seoul: Seoul Metro covers every Class A address. KTX high-speed rail to Busan and other regional centres. Incheon Airport is 53 minutes by AREX express. Tokyo: JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address. Shinkansen termini at Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Ueno support inter-city corporate networks. ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Kenji Watanabe**](/about/authors/kenji-watanabe) — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/compare/seoul-vs-tokyo), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.