South Korea vs China: Inflation Comparison
Compare cumulative inflation, annual rates and purchasing power between South Korea and China from 2000 to 2026, based on World Bank CPI data.
Cumulative inflation in South Korea was 80.8% between 2000 and 2026, according to World Bank CPI data (FP.CPI.TOTL).
Over the same period, cumulative inflation in China was 42.1%.
South Korea
KRWChina
CNYCPI Comparison Chart
Year-by-Year Comparison
| Year | South Korea CPI | South Korea (Change) | China CPI | China (Change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 73.11 | - | 80.97 | - |
| 2001 | 76.09 | +4.1% | 81.55 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 78.19 | +2.8% | 80.96 | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 80.94 | +3.5% | 81.87 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 83.84 | +3.6% | 85.00 | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 86.15 | +2.8% | 86.51 | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 88.08 | +2.2% | 87.94 | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 90.32 | +2.5% | 92.17 | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 94.54 | +4.7% | 97.63 | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 97.14 | +2.8% | 96.92 | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 100.00 | +2.9% | 100.00 | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 104.03 | +4.0% | 105.55 | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 106.30 | +2.2% | 108.32 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 107.68 | +1.3% | 111.16 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 109.06 | +1.3% | 113.29 | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 109.83 | +0.7% | 114.92 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 110.89 | +1.0% | 117.22 | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 113.05 | +1.9% | 119.09 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 114.72 | +1.5% | 121.56 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 115.16 | +0.4% | 125.08 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 105.77 | -8.2% | 111.50 | -10.9% |
| 2021 | 109.68 | +3.7% | 113.11 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 115.20 | +5.0% | 115.12 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 118.85 | +3.2% | 114.78 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 132.20 | +11.2% | 114.89 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | - | - | 115.03 | +0.1% |
Inflation by Decade: South Korea vs China
| Year | South Korea (Total Inflation) | South Korea (Avg Annual Rate) | China (Total Inflation) | China (Avg Annual Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | +214.4% | 13.57% | - | - |
| 1970s | +250.4% | 14.95% | - | - |
| 1980s | +69.1% | 6.01% | +50.7% | 14.64% |
| 1990s | +60.5% | 5.40% | +99.5% | 7.98% |
| 2000s | +32.9% | 3.21% | +19.7% | 2.02% |
| 2010s | +15.2% | 1.58% | +25.1% | 2.52% |
| 2020s | +25.0% | 5.73% | +3.2% | 0.63% |
The inflation gap between South Korea and China widened to 38.8 percentage points from 2000 to 2026.
₩100 in South Korea in 2000 lost roughly the same relative value as ¥78.57 in China.
South Korea's highest annual inflation was 11.2% in 2024; China's was 5.9% in 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which had higher inflation, South Korea or China?
Between 2000 and 2026, South Korea had higher cumulative inflation (80.81%) than China (42.06%), according to World Bank CPI data.
What was cumulative inflation in South Korea from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in South Korea rose 80.81% cumulatively, an average of 2.5% per year.
What was cumulative inflation in China from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in China rose 42.06% cumulatively, an average of 1.41% per year.
More Popular Comparisons
Calculate Individually
Between 2000 and 2026, China had lower cumulative inflation (42.1%) than South Korea (80.8%).