Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Aachen Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Aachen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $2,007 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $3,019 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $4,032 in Aachen, rent included.

Seoul is about 13% cheaper than Aachen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Aachen sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Aachen by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.4K

$15.96 €13.85

-46.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩84.6K

$79.6 €69.0

-31.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,829

$11.47 €9.95

-45.07%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩6,058

$3.98 €3.45

-2.51%

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

$1.72 ₩2,690

$3.23 €2.81

-46.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,334

$2.94 €2.55

-70.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,607

$5.17 €4.49

-30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,260

$4.76 €4.13

24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,469

$1.26 €1.10

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,380

$2.23 €1.94

54.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,888

$3.43 €2.98

-8.75%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,971

$3.68 €3.19

-13.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩22.2K

$14.57 €12.64

-2.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩17.1K

$14.05 €12.19

-21.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩54.2K

$19.46 €16.88

78.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.4K

$3.22 €2.79

147.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,400

$1.78 €1.55

94.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,469

$2.23 €1.93

143.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.4K

$4.47 €3.87

49.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,932

$1.55 €1.34

145.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,595

$1.72 €1.49

71.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,094

$1.82 €1.58

44.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,981

$0.93 €0.81

36.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩5,035

$9.76 €8.47

-66.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩30.4K

$7.17 €6.22

171.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,775

$1.05 €0.91

130.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩5,065

$1.64 €1.42

98.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,740

$3.37 €2.92

-66.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩74.7K

$57.7 €50.1

-17.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,553

$5.69 €4.94

-37.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩842

$2.32 €2.01

-76.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.6K

$17.05 €14.79

-48.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,944

$1.98 €1.72

-36.87%

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

$28.3K ₩44.1M

$32.0K €27.8K

-11.76%

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

$25.3K ₩39.5M

$38.2K €33.1K

-33.68%

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

$161 ₩250.4K

$364 €316

-55.85%

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

$34.38 ₩53.6K

$19.75 €17.14

74.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.9K

$52.5 €45.50

-57.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩88.9K

$35.57 €30.86

60.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩36.2K

$21.94 €19.04

5.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.4K

$16.31 €14.15

-31.39%

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

$412 ₩642.7K

$403 €350

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.9M

$22.8K €19.8K

3.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩91.5K

$110 €95.7

-46.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩73.0K

$44.82 €38.88

4.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩122.1K

$83.6 €72.5

-6.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩178.1K

$135 €118

-15.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$815 €707

17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩941.1K

$598 €519

0.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,448 €1,257

78.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,165 €1,011

12.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩28.3M

$4,686 €4,066

287.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.4M

$3,651 €3,168

152.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.8M

$3,586 €3,112

-13.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.97

4.28%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aachen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $815 in Aachen. 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 16% higher in Aachen, 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $80.0 in Aachen. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Seoul vs $343 in Aachen – so Aachen 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

Seoul vs Aachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,742 in Seoul, $2,007 in Aachen – roughly 15% apart. Aachen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $3,010 in Aachen. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul and $80.0 in Aachen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,742 in Seoul and $2,007 in Aachen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,742, than in Aachen at $2,007. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aachen 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, Aachen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.