Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,336 per month in Daegu vs $2,253 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,152 per month in Daegu vs $3,329 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,967 per month in Daegu vs $4,404 in Madrid, rent included.

Daegu is about 41% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Daegu and Madrid sit above the global median – Daegu by 0%, Madrid by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ₩12.5K

$17.05 €14.66

-51.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ₩55.3K

$68.6 €59.0

-46.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩9,088

$11.73 €10.09

-48.85%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩5,467

$3.06 €2.63

17.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₩2,336

$3.21 €2.76

-52.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$2.18 €1.87

-63.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,610

$3.94 €3.39

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 ₩8,050

$4.67 €4.02

13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,247

$1.20 €1.03

78.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 ₩5,012

$1.68 €1.45

97.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 ₩3,984

$1.69 €1.45

55.62%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩4,133

$3.34 €2.88

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 ₩17.3K

$14.91 €12.83

-23.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.26 ₩11.0K

$8.93 €7.68

-18.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.89 ₩34.7K

$16.84 €14.49

35.93%

Apples (1kg)

$8.04 ₩12.2K

$2.73 €2.34

194.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$2.11 €1.82

63.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,386

$2.54 €2.19

117.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 ₩10.0K

$2.65 €2.28

149.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 ₩3,661

$2.15 €1.85

12.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,468

$2.10 €1.81

40.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩3,993

$1.35 €1.17

95.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,920

$0.97 €0.84

30.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,039

$6.82 €5.87

-51.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 ₩19.7K

$8.15 €7.01

59.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₩3,681

$1.39 €1.20

74.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₩4,569

$2.19 €1.88

37.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,697

$1.77 €1.52

-36.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 ₩113.4K

$49.07 €42.21

52.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ₩4,758

$4.01 €3.45

-21.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ₩646

$1.33 €1.14

-67.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.89 ₩13.5K

$29.19 €25.11

-69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,746

$1.93 €1.66

-40.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.4K ₩41.5M

$37.2K €32.0K

-26.40%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.6K ₩37.3M

$34.4K €29.6K

-28.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$162 ₩245.3K

$195 €167

-16.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.44 ₩53.7K

$21.66 €18.64

63.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.58 ₩34.2K

$35.51 €30.54

-36.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 ₩76.6K

$53.8 €46.26

-6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 ₩18.1K

$17.95 €15.44

-33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 ₩15.9K

$11.55 €9.94

-9.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$419 ₩635.5K

$676 €582

-37.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₩35.5M

$12.1K €10.4K

92.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ₩82.4K

$94.2 €81.1

-42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 ₩71.7K

$42.77 €36.79

10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₩119.0K

$106 €90.9

-25.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩176.6K

$134 €116

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₩596.6K

$1,566 €1,347

-74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₩383.9K

$1,149 €988

-77.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 ₩1.8M

$2,826 €2,431

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₩903.5K

$1,884 €1,621

-68.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,150 ₩10.8M

$9,077 €7,808

-21.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 ₩8.0M

$4,511 €3,880

16.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,165 ₩3.3M

$2,626 €2,259

-17.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.43

20.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Daegu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Daegu versus $1,566 in Madrid. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Madrid, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Daegu versus $69.0 in Madrid. Groceries tell a different story – $414 in Daegu vs $294 in Madrid – so Madrid wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Daegu vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,336 in Daegu, $2,253 in Madrid – roughly 69% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,004 per month in Daegu and $3,380 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daegu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Daegu and $69.0 in Madrid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,336 in Daegu and $2,253 in Madrid. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Daegu, where all-in costs run around $1,336, than in Madrid at $2,253. In Daegu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,336 in Daegu to $2,253 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Daegu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.