Cost of Living Comparison Between Leverkusen and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Leverkusen and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,478 per month in Leverkusen vs $1,742 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,588 per month in Leverkusen vs $2,892 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,698 per month in Leverkusen vs $4,043 in Seoul, rent included.

Leverkusen costs about 42% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Leverkusen and Seoul sit above the global median – Leverkusen by 85%, Seoul by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 €13.06

$8.59 ₩13.0K

76.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 €59.7

$54.3 ₩82.2K

27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 €10.56

$6.30 ₩9,550

94.76%

Cappuccino

$3.53 €3.04

$3.88 ₩5,886

-9.02%

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

$2.41 €2.08

$1.72 ₩2,613

40.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.00

$0.86 ₩1,296

170.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.60 ₩5,448

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 €3.26

$5.94 ₩8,998

-36.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.22 ₩3,371

-39.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.45 ₩5,228

-42.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$3.13 ₩4,749

5.11%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.93

$3.19 ₩4,830

6.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.11 €12.14

$14.21 ₩21.5K

-0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 €12.13

$10.99 ₩16.6K

28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.31 €16.61

$34.74 ₩52.6K

-44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$7.97 ₩12.1K

-58.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$3.46 ₩5,247

-49.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$5.43 ₩8,229

-57.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 €4.22

$6.69 ₩10.1K

-26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$3.80 ₩5,763

-56.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.95 ₩4,465

-41.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.63 ₩3,978

-26.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.27 ₩1,924

-7.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 €8.04

$3.23 ₩4,893

189.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 €5.02

$19.49 ₩29.5K

-70.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.88

$2.42 ₩3,668

-57.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$3.25 ₩4,921

-48.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 €2.88

$1.12 ₩1,691

198.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €49.64

$47.88 ₩72.6K

20.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$3.56 ₩5,396

44.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 €2.02

$0.54 ₩818

335.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.27 €34.64

$8.72 ₩13.2K

361.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.25 ₩1,889

65.60%

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

$31.4K €27.0K

$28.3K ₩42.8M

11.21%

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

$37.7K €32.5K

$25.3K ₩38.4M

48.98%

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

$392 €337

$161 ₩243.4K

144.18%

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

$34.87 €30.00

$34.38 ₩52.1K

1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.30 €35.52

$22.41 ₩34.0K

84.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.20 €26.84

$57.0 ₩86.4K

-45.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.12 €19.89

$23.23 ₩35.2K

-0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.56 €15.10

$11.19 ₩17.0K

56.93%

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

$460 €396

$412 ₩624.5K

11.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,643 €8,295

$23.7K ₩35.8M

-59.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.7 €81.5

$58.7 ₩88.9K

61.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 €63.5

$46.80 ₩70.9K

57.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.5

$78.3 ₩118.6K

34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$114 ₩173.0K

21.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 €1,038

$957 ₩1.4M

26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 €934

$604 ₩914.5K

79.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 €1,909

$2,580 ₩3.9M

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,602

$1,308 ₩2.0M

42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,764 €4,959

$18.2K ₩27.5M

-68.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,906 €3,360

$9,223 ₩14.0M

-57.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,168 €3,585

$3,095 ₩4.7M

34.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

4.14

-4.11%

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

Last update for Leverkusen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Leverkusen versus $957 in Seoul. 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 35% higher in Leverkusen, 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 $69.0 in Leverkusen versus $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $342 in Leverkusen vs $500 in Seoul – so Leverkusen 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

Leverkusen vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leverkusen costs about 42% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,717 per month in Leverkusen and $2,613 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,478 in Leverkusen and $1,742 in Seoul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,742, than in Leverkusen at $2,478. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leverkusen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leverkusen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.