Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Magdeburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Magdeburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Seoul vs $1,867 in Magdeburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,895 per month in Seoul vs $2,963 in Magdeburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,020 per month in Seoul vs $4,059 in Magdeburg, rent included.

Seoul is about 5% cheaper than Magdeburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Magdeburg sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Magdeburg by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₩12.5K

$14.45 €12.60

-40.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 ₩80.8K

$68.7 €59.9

-18.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₩9,358

$11.70 €10.20

-44.62%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,641

$3.41 €2.97

14.66%

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

$1.73 ₩2,494

$2.66 €2.32

-34.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,224

$2.57 €2.24

-66.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,357

$4.94 €4.31

-24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,236

$4.26 €3.71

34.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,232

$1.19 €1.04

88.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,039

$2.20 €1.92

58.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,457

$3.48 €3.03

-11.21%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,493

$3.84 €3.35

-19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩20.6K

$14.65 €12.77

-2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 ₩15.6K

$13.74 €11.98

-21.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩49.2K

$20.56 €17.92

65.61%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩11.2K

$3.29 €2.87

136.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩4,985

$1.71 €1.49

101.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,126

$2.20 €1.92

155.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 ₩9,612

$4.98 €4.34

33.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,535

$1.56 €1.36

145.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,237

$1.56 €1.36

87.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,616

$1.76 €1.53

42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,900

$1.51 €1.31

-12.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,755

$10.20 €8.90

-67.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 ₩25.0K

$5.73 €4.99

202.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,368

$1.10 €0.96

111.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,795

$1.70 €1.48

95.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,549

$2.87 €2.50

-62.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.68 ₩67.4K

$63.5 €55.3

-26.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,206

$11.36 €9.90

-68.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩759

$1.60 €1.39

-66.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩12.8K

$11.80 €10.28

-24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,812

$1.92 €1.67

-34.37%

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

$27.5K ₩39.7M

$31.4K €27.4K

-12.28%

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

$25.5K ₩36.8M

$38.5K €33.5K

-33.68%

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

$165 ₩237.7K

$435 €379

-62.14%

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

$34.26 ₩49.4K

$31.18 €27.18

9.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 ₩32.5K

$51.1 €44.53

-55.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩83.9K

$34.81 €30.35

66.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 ₩33.4K

$18.19 €15.86

27.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.2K

$12.30 €10.72

-8.94%

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

$417 ₩602.3K

$234 €204

78.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩33.6M

$11.4K €9,952

103.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₩84.5K

$90.9 €79.2

-35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 ₩68.7K

$34.28 €29.89

38.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₩113.2K

$97.9 €85.3

-19.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩168.1K

$174 €151

-32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$632 €551

52.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩859.2K

$429 €374

38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.7M

$1,556 €1,356

64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₩1.9M

$1,048 €914

23.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.0K ₩38.9M

$4,846 €4,225

456.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K ₩15.2M

$1,558 €1,358

577.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,214 ₩4.6M

$2,813 €2,453

14.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.96

4.55%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Magdeburg: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $964 in Seoul versus $632 in Magdeburg. 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 14% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Seoul versus $69.0 in Magdeburg. Groceries tell a different story – $493 in Seoul vs $351 in Magdeburg – so Magdeburg 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 Magdeburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,770 in Seoul, $1,867 in Magdeburg – roughly 5% apart. Magdeburg costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,655 per month in Seoul and $2,801 in Magdeburg. 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.

Kindergarten costs $417 per month in Seoul and $234 in Magdeburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Magdeburg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,770, than in Magdeburg at $1,867. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Magdeburg 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, Magdeburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.