Disclosed is a reference voltage generating circuit comprising a first reference current circuit including first and second current-to-voltage converting circuits, control means for exercising control in such a manner that prescribed output voltages of the first and second current-to-voltage converting circuits become equal, and a first current mirror circuit for supplying currents to respective ones of the first and second current-to-voltage converting circuits; a second reference current circuit having third and fourth current-to-voltage converting circuits, control means for exercising control in such a manner that prescribed output voltages of the third and fourth current-to-voltage converting circuits become equal, and a second current mirror circuit which has a linear input/output characteristic, for supplying currents to respective ones of the third and fourth current-to-voltage converting circuits; and means for outputting a difference current between output current of the first reference current circuit and output current of the second reference current circuit. An output voltage is obtained from the difference current via a fifth current-to-voltage converting circuit.