Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Daegu Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Daegu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,336 in Daegu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,152 in Daegu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $2,967 in Daegu, rent included.

Seoul costs about 30% more than Daegu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Daegu sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Daegu by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$8.24 ₩12.5K

4.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$36.47 ₩55.3K

48.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$6.00 ₩9,088

5.00%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.61 ₩5,467

7.48%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$1.54 ₩2,336

11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.79 ₩1,194

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$3.70 ₩5,610

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$5.31 ₩8,050

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.14 ₩3,247

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$3.31 ₩5,012

4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$2.63 ₩3,984

19.01%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$2.73 ₩4,133

16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$11.40 ₩17.3K

24.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$7.26 ₩11.0K

51.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$22.89 ₩34.7K

51.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$8.04 ₩12.2K

-0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$3.46 ₩5,249

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$5.53 ₩8,386

-1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$6.61 ₩10.0K

1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$2.42 ₩3,661

57.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.95 ₩4,468

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$2.64 ₩3,993

-0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.27 ₩1,920

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$3.33 ₩5,039

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$13.00 ₩19.7K

49.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$2.43 ₩3,681

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.02 ₩4,569

7.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$1.12 ₩1,697

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$74.8 ₩113.4K

-36.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$3.14 ₩4,758

13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.43 ₩646

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$8.89 ₩13.5K

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.15 ₩1,746

8.70%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$27.4K ₩41.5M

3.24%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$24.6K ₩37.3M

2.87%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$162 ₩245.3K

-0.78%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$35.44 ₩53.7K

-2.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$22.58 ₩34.2K

-0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$50.5 ₩76.6K

12.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$11.95 ₩18.1K

94.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$10.49 ₩15.9K

6.67%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$419 ₩635.5K

-1.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$23.4K ₩35.5M

1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$54.4 ₩82.4K

7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$47.29 ₩71.7K

-1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$78.5 ₩119.0K

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$117 ₩176.6K

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$394 ₩596.6K

142.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$253 ₩383.9K

138.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,199 ₩1.8M

115.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$596 ₩903.5K

119.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$7,150 ₩10.8M

154.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$5,267 ₩8.0M

75.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,165 ₩3.3M

42.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Daegu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $394 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 43% higher in Seoul, 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 $36.00 in Daegu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $414 – making Daegu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,742 in Seoul, $1,336 in Daegu – roughly 30% apart. Seoul 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 $2,004 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 $54.0 in Seoul and $36.00 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 $1,742 in Seoul and $1,336 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 $1,336, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Daegu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Daegu – 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 Daegu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.