Gold Price Comparison · Wednesday, October 21, 2026
South Korea vs China
Live 24K gold rate side-by-side in KRW and CNY. Updated every minute from the international XAU/USD spot price.
Today's Spread
After converting both rates to a common USD basis, gold is +0.00% cheaper in South Korea. The base XAU/USD spot price is the same worldwide — the difference comes from exchange rates, local taxes, and import duties.
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Karat-by-Karat Comparison
| Karat | South Korea | China |
|---|---|---|
| 24K · per tola | ₩2,055,038 | ¥10,363 |
| 22K · per tola | ₩1,883,785 | ¥9,499 |
| 21K · per tola | ₩1,798,159 | ¥9,067 |
| 18K · per tola | ₩1,541,279 | ¥7,772 |
Compare Gold Price in Every Weight Unit — South Korea vs China
Side-by-side 24K gold prices across every major regional weight unit used worldwide — from the South Asian Tola, Masha, and Ratti to Bangladesh's Vori, Thailand's Baht, Vietnam's Lượng, Iran's Mesghal, and the Chinese Tael, Mace and Candareen. Both columns are calculated live from each country's per-gram rate: ₩176,186/g in South Korea vs ¥888.42/g in China.
South Asian
1 Tolaتولا · तोला
11.664 g · Pakistan, India, Nepal
1 Mashaماشہ
0.972 g · 1/12 Tola
1 Rattiرتی
0.1215 g · 1/96 Tola · gemstones
1 Vori (Bhori)ভরি
11.664 g · Bangladesh
1 Ana (Anna)আনা
0.729 g · 1/16 Vori
Metric & Global
1 Gramg
1 g · Worldwide standard
1 Kilogramkg
1,000 g · Bulk trade
1 Troy Ounceoz t
31.1035 g · LBMA bullion standard
East & SE Asian
1 HK Tael兩
37.429 g · Hong Kong, Macau
1 CN Tael兩
31.25 g · Mainland China
1 Mace錢
3.7429 g · 1/10 HK Tael
1 Candareen分
0.37429 g · 1/100 HK Tael
1 Bahtบาท
15.244 g · Thailand
1 Luong (Lượng)lượng
37.5 g · Vietnam
Middle Eastern
1 Mesghalمثقال
4.6083 g · Iran
1 Mithqalمثقال
4.25 g · Saudi, UAE, Egypt
Imperial & Western
1 Pennyweightdwt
1.55517 g · 1/20 Troy Oz
1 Graingr
0.064799 g · 1/480 Troy Oz
Prices computed from live 24K per-gram rates · South Korea: ₩176,186/g · China: ¥888.42/g · Updated every 60 seconds
Why Gold Prices Differ Between South Korea and China
Gold trades on a single global market — the XAU/USD spot price is the same everywhere. But once you compare South Korea (KRW) against China (CNY) in local currency, the prices differ for four reasons:
- Currency exchange rates — a weaker KRW or CNY against the dollar pushes the local gold price up.
- Local taxes — VAT, GST, sales tax differ by country.
- Import duties — both countries levy different customs charges on gold imports.
- Jeweller making charges — when shopping for jewellery (not bullion), local labour costs change the final price.
Goldify Pro tracks the live international XAU/USD rate every 60 seconds and converts it to KRW and CNY using real-time exchange rates so you can compare both markets accurately.
Other comparisons
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Why the gold price differs between South Korea and China
Both figures above start from the same international XAU/USD spot price. The gap comes from exchange rates, tax, and which karat and weight unit each market quotes. On today's numbers China is the cheaper of the two for 24K metal.
| Country | Tax on gold | Purity and unit | Carrying gold home |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 10% VAT on gold, waived for bars traded on the KRX gold market | 24K (999) and 18K (750), quoted per don (3.75 g) and per gram | declare on arrival |
| China | 13% VAT on jewellery; Shanghai Gold Exchange sets the domestic benchmark | 999 and 9999 fineness, quoted per gram | personal allowance of 50 g; declare above that |
Retail prices add making charges on top of the metal value, typically 3% to 15% depending on the piece, so the real saving from buying abroad is smaller than the spot gap and can vanish once import duty is paid at home.
Weight Units Used in South Korea and China
South Korea
In South Korea, gold is most commonly quoted in gram (the international standard) and local traditional units. The standard jewellery purity is 22K and 24K for investment, with 18K, 21K, and lower karats for daily-wear jewellery.
China
In China, gold is most commonly quoted in gram (the international standard) and local traditional units. The standard jewellery purity is 22K and 24K for investment, with 18K, 21K, and lower karats for daily-wear jewellery.
When comparing rates between South Korea and China, always check whether the price you're quoted is for the same weight unit and purity. A tola in India is identical (11.664 g) to a vori in Bangladesh, but a Saudi mithqal (4.25 g) is roughly 2.74 times heavier than a Persian mesghal converted at the same per-gram rate. The table above normalises every unit so you can compare apples-to-apples.
Taxes & Duties — Why the Sticker Price Differs
South Korea
- Local sales tax, VAT, or GST on jewellery value
- Often reduced or zero rates on investment-grade bullion
China
- Local sales tax, VAT, or GST on jewellery value
- Often reduced or zero rates on investment-grade bullion
These taxes affect the final price you pay. They do not include country-specific taxes, duties, or jewellery making charges (3–15% of metal value depending on design), the relevant tax rate, and any dealer margin (1–3% on bullion, more on jewellery).
Gold Market Culture — South Korea vs China
South Korea
Markets: regional bullion dealers and city-centre gold markets set daily retail benchmarks.
Peak buying season: wedding seasons, religious festivals, and year-end holidays typically drive peak demand.
China
Markets: regional bullion dealers and city-centre gold markets set daily retail benchmarks.
Peak buying season: wedding seasons, religious festivals, and year-end holidays typically drive peak demand.
Worked Example — Converting Between KRW and CNY
Suppose you want to buy 1 tola (11.664 g) of 24K gold.
South Korea
China
Important — Gold prices cannot be compared directly because they are in different currencies. This page first converts both rates back to a common USD basis (using live exchange rates), then expresses the spread as a percentage. Live: 1 tola of 24K gold today costs ₩2,055,038 in South Korea and ¥10,363 in China.
Buying Tips When Comparing South Korea and China
Check the hallmark
Look for BIS Hallmark (India), Hallmark Certificate (Bangladesh), 916/750 stamp, or local equivalents. Never buy unmarked gold.
Ask for the per-gram price first
Jewellers often quote in tola, vori, or at piece price — request the per-gram rate so you can verify against the live spot.
Separate metal cost from making charges
A receipt should show: metal weight × per gram rate, plus making charges, plus tax. It is your right before paying.
Compare same purity
A 22K item in one country is not directly comparable with an 18K item in another. Always compare the same purity.
Factor in repatriation
If you're buying abroad to bring home, account for customs duty, declaration thresholds, and baggage allowance limits.
Time your purchase
Spot prices fluctuate. Festival markups and exchange-rate swings can change retail prices ±5% in a week.
Pro Tip: Use our live gold price converters to compare prices accurately in KRW, CNY, AED, USD & more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to buy gold in South Korea or China?+
On the international XAU/USD basis the price is the same in both countries. After converting to local currency and adding taxes plus making charges, the cheaper destination depends on the day's exchange rates, the purity you buy, and the dealer's margin. The diff bar at the top of this page shows today's USD-equivalent spread.
Can I buy gold in South Korea and sell it in China?+
Cross-border gold arbitrage is legal in most countries within declared baggage allowances, but customs duties, VAT/GST, and proof-of-purchase requirements often erode any spread. Most tourists also lose 4–8% on jeweller buy-back margins. Goldify Pro is intended as a reference, not investment advice.
Why is the same 24K gold priced differently in South Korea and China?+
The XAU/USD international spot price is the same everywhere. Local prices in KRW and CNY differ because of (1) exchange-rate fluctuations versus the dollar, (2) import duties and VAT/GST, (3) jeweller making charges, and (4) supply-and-demand spreads.
Which is purer — gold sold in South Korea or China?+
Purity depends on the karat you buy, not the country. Hallmarked 24K is 99.9% pure regardless of origin. South Korea commonly stocks 22K and 24K for investment, with 18K, 21K, and lower karats for daily-wear jewellery; China commonly stocks 22K and 24K for investment, with 18K, 21K, and lower karats for daily-wear jewellery. Always check the local hallmark (BIS, Hallmark Certificate, KDM, 916/750 stamps, etc.).
How often does Goldify Pro update the rates on this comparison page?+
Live XAU/USD spot is fetched every 60 seconds from gold-api.com. Currency exchange rates refresh every minute from exchangerate-api.com. This page itself is statically generated and revalidated every 5 minutes (ISR) so it stays fast while staying close to live.
Are the prices on this page the retail rates I'll pay at a jeweller?+
No — they are pure-metal value at international parity. A jeweller's quote adds making charges, design premium, and local taxes. Expect retail to sit 5–15% above the rates shown here. Use this page as a baseline to verify that a dealer's quote isn't unfair.
Can I use this comparison for investment-grade bullion?+
Yes — investment-grade bullion (≥99.5% pure) typically trades very close to the per-gram or per-ounce rate shown here, with a small dealer premium of 1–3%. Many countries (UK, US, Singapore) exempt investment-grade gold from VAT/sales tax.
What does "per tola" mean and is it the same as "per vori"?+
1 tola = 1 vori = exactly 11.664 grams. The two are identical in weight — "tola" is the standard term in Pakistan, India, and Nepal, and "vori" (also spelt "bhori") is used in Bangladesh. The price per tola/vori is simply the per-gram rate multiplied by 11.664.
Methodology: Goldify Pro derives every price on this page from the live XAU/USD spot rate (sourced from gold-api.com) divided by 31.1035 g per troy ounce to get a per-gram USD rate, then multiplied by the live KRW/USD and CNY/USD exchange rates (from exchangerate-api.com) to produce the local-currency rates shown. Multipliers for tola (11.664), masha (0.972), ratti (0.1215), vori (11.664), ana (0.729), baht (15.244), lượng (37.5), HK tael (37.429), mace (3.7429), candareen (0.37429), mesghal (4.6083), mithqal (4.25), pennyweight (1.55517), grain (0.064799), and karat purity ratios (purity ÷ 24) are mathematical constants and never approximated.
What this page does NOT include: local sales tax, VAT, GST, import duty, jeweller making charges, design premiums, or coin numismatic premiums. The values are pure metal value at international parity — useful for cost-basis calculations, valuation, accounting, and educational research, but not directly comparable to a jeweller's retail quote.
Always verify locally: before any significant transaction, confirm the live rate with a reputable bullion dealer in South Korea or China. Goldify Pro is for reference and education, not a price quote for buying or selling physical gold.