Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Changwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Changwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Madrid versus $1,492 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Madrid versus $2,305 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Madrid versus $3,119 in Changwon.

Living in Madrid is roughly 51% more expensive than Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Changwon 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$7.19 ₩10.9K

137.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$27.41 ₩41.5K

150.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$5.05 ₩7,648

132.28%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$3.58 ₩5,419

-14.53%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$1.80 ₩2,728

78.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.00 ₩1,520

118.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.91 ₩4,413

35.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.34 ₩6,569

7.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$2.37 ₩3,588

-49.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$3.47 ₩5,261

-51.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$3.03 ₩4,589

-44.22%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$2.87 ₩4,342

16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$10.38 ₩15.7K

43.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$8.03 ₩12.2K

11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$27.30 ₩41.4K

-38.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$8.50 ₩12.9K

-67.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.18 ₩4,818

-33.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$7.37 ₩11.2K

-65.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$5.24 ₩7,935

-49.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$5.17 ₩7,838

-58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.96 ₩4,481

-29.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$2.02 ₩3,054

-33.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.15 ₩1,744

-15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$3.34 ₩5,056

104.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$16.44 ₩24.9K

-50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.67 ₩2,531

-16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$3.35 ₩5,083

-34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.08 ₩1,643

63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$2.73 ₩4,142

46.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$0.81 ₩1,225

64.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$16.50 ₩25.0K

76.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.16 ₩1,762

66.38%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$28.3K ₩42.8M

31.62%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$24.8K ₩37.6M

38.46%

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

$195 €167

$188 ₩284.5K

3.65%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$50.2 ₩76.1K

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$27.31 ₩41.4K

30.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$51.1 ₩77.5K

5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$11.21 ₩17.0K

3.03%

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

$676 €582

$486 ₩736.0K

39.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$14.2K ₩21.5M

-14.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$104 ₩157.7K

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$48.44 ₩73.4K

-11.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$89.4 ₩135.4K

18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$118 ₩178.4K

14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$450 ₩681.9K

247.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$378 ₩573.4K

203.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$1,063 ₩1.6M

165.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$775 ₩1.2M

143.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

$1,479 ₩2.2M

77.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

4.22

-18.72%

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Madrid and $450 in Changwon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 78% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Madrid vs $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $444, with Madrid cheaper for home cooking.

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

Madrid vs Changwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and Changwon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($2,253 vs $1,492 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Madrid pays 78% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,566 in Madrid versus $450 in Changwon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 51% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,253 per month in Madrid versus $1,492 in Changwon – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,492 in Changwon versus $2,253 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Changwon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.