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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,368 per month in Madrid vs $1,541 in Daegu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,435 per month in Madrid vs $2,321 in Daegu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,502 per month in Madrid vs $3,102 in Daegu, rent included.

Madrid costs about 54% more than Daegu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madrid and Daegu sit above the global median – Madrid by 72%, Daegu by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 €16.21

$9.38 ₩12.7K

100.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €59.1

$36.70 ₩49.9K

86.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 €10.33

$5.51 ₩7,490

117.42%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.78

$3.88 ₩5,280

-17.01%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$1.61 ₩2,183

109.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.83 ₩1,122

175.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 €3.43

$3.56 ₩4,839

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 €4.40

$5.25 ₩7,143

-2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.35 ₩3,199

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$4.46 ₩6,063

-63.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$2.61 ₩3,553

-33.72%

Eggs

$4.42 €3.81

$2.79 ₩3,789

58.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 €14.86

$9.64 ₩13.1K

78.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.48

$6.94 ₩9,434

41.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 €15.72

$20.85 ₩28.3K

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.36

$6.39 ₩8,693

-57.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.71 ₩3,679

-12.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$5.50 ₩7,473

-52.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$5.57 ₩7,572

-51.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.56 ₩3,475

-10.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.07 ₩2,819

9.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.37

$4.25 ₩5,778

-62.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.29 ₩1,758

-13.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.86

$2.96 ₩4,022

129.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.19

$14.59 ₩19.8K

-42.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$2.10 ₩2,850

-41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.38 ₩3,242

-5.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.11 ₩1,515

54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.94 €32.74

$71.8 ₩97.5K

-47.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.43

$3.07 ₩4,172

29.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.36

$0.56 ₩764

182.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 €26.20

$7.94 ₩10.8K

282.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.30 ₩1,772

41.54%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$28.1K ₩38.2M

31.55%

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

$34.1K €29.4K

$40.6K ₩55.3M

-16.04%

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

$195 €168

$264 ₩359.2K

-26.37%

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

$19.08 €16.46

$48.58 ₩66.0K

-60.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 €31.34

$39.90 ₩54.2K

-8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €44.20

$49.43 ₩67.2K

3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 €16.70

$11.86 ₩16.1K

63.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.83

$10.99 ₩14.9K

3.64%

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

$696 €600

$510 ₩692.7K

36.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.6K

$27.6K ₩37.5M

-34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.9

$53.9 ₩73.3K

65.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 €38.46

$50.2 ₩68.2K

-11.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.3

$93.9 ₩127.7K

15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €97.5

$161 ₩219.3K

-29.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,366

$402 ₩546.7K

293.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 €1,057

$267 ₩362.6K

359.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,427

$1,012 ₩1.4M

177.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,614

$600 ₩815.9K

211.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,303 €8,028

$7,006 ₩9.5M

32.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,251 €3,669

$5,543 ₩7.5M

-23.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,230

$2,423 ₩3.3M

6.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

5.07

-39.05%

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

Last update for Madrid: August 30, 2026

Last update for Daegu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Madrid versus $402 in Daegu. 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 7% 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 $68.0 in Madrid versus $37.00 in Daegu. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Madrid vs $403 in Daegu – 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

Madrid vs Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,368 in Madrid, $1,541 in Daegu – roughly 54% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,552 per month in Madrid and $2,311 in Daegu. 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 $68.0 in Madrid and $37.00 in Daegu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,368 in Madrid and $1,541 in Daegu. 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 $1,541, than in Madrid at $2,368. 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 $1,541 in Daegu to $2,368 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.