Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Osnabruck

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,848 a month against $1,956 in Osnabruck, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osnabruck outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Seoul, South Korea
Osnabruck, Germany
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,848
/mo nomad
Osnabruck
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,956
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Osnabruck

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seoul and in Osnabruck actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Seoul vs $1,956 in Osnabruck, rent included.

  • Seoul $1,848
  • Osnabruck $1,956

A couple spends around $2,986 per month in Seoul vs $2,925 in Osnabruck, rent included.

  • Seoul $2,986
  • Osnabruck $2,925

A family of three spends $4,125 per month in Seoul vs $3,893 in Osnabruck, rent included.

  • Seoul $4,125
  • Osnabruck $3,893

Seoul is about 6% cheaper than Osnabruck, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seoul and Osnabruck sit above the global median – Seoul by 36%, Osnabruck by 44%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.05 ₩12.0K
$13.51 €12.14
-33.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 ₩90.7K
$77.5 €69.7
-11.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.35 ₩9,751
$10.78 €9.69
-31.82%
Cappuccino
$4.12 ₩5,464
$3.92 €3.52
5.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₩2,181
$2.91 €2.62
-43.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₩1,070
$2.89 €2.60
-71.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 ₩4,921
$4.90 €4.40
-24.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.13 ₩8,138
$4.00 €3.59
53.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 ₩2,709
$1.25 €1.12
63.20%
White Bread (500g)
$3.21 ₩4,260
$2.37 €2.13
35.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.39 ₩5,822
$3.66 €3.28
19.95%
Eggs
$3.59 ₩4,765
$3.49 €3.14
2.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.23 ₩24.2K
$14.47 €13.00
25.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.51 ₩13.9K
$10.64 €9.56
-1.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.89 ₩35.7K
$18.59 €16.71
44.65%
Apples (1kg)
$7.86 ₩10.4K
$3.25 €2.92
141.85%
Banana (1kg)
$3.53 ₩4,683
$1.89 €1.70
86.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.70 ₩7,569
$2.17 €1.95
162.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.18 ₩8,198
$4.20 €3.77
47.14%
Potato (1kg)
$3.76 ₩4,993
$1.42 €1.27
164.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 ₩3,333
$1.18 €1.06
112.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.82 ₩3,735
$1.62 €1.46
74.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₩1,472
$0.86 €0.77
29.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.30 ₩4,379
$9.95 €8.94
-66.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.64 ₩24.7K
$6.85 €6.15
172.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 ₩3,209
$0.99 €0.89
144.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 ₩4,456
$1.49 €1.34
125.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₩1,581
$3.89 €3.50
-69.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.13 ₩61.2K
$70.9 €63.7
-34.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.55 ₩4,713
$5.25 €4.72
-32.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩801
$2.76 €2.48
-78.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.08 ₩12.0K
$36.91 €33.16
-75.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ₩1,908
$2.09 €1.88
-31.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K ₩40.2M
$30.2K €27.1K
0.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K ₩38.3M
$39.1K €35.2K
-26.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$213 ₩282.0K
$283 €254
-24.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.83 ₩47.5K
$30.62 €27.51
17.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.39 ₩28.4K
$40.12 €36.05
-46.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.6 ₩81.8K
$50.3 €45.20
22.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.41 ₩21.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.42 ₩15.1K
$13.22 €11.88
-13.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,948 ₩2.6M
$409 €368
375.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.8K ₩30.2M
$27.5K €24.7K
-17.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.8 ₩79.3K
$89.5 €80.4
-33.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.19 ₩45.4K
$39.13 €35.16
-12.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.0 ₩87.6K
$86.9 €78.1
-24.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.9 ₩108.7K
$108 €97.0
-24.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$924 ₩1.2M
$626 €562
47.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ₩874.6K
$712 €640
-7.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,012 ₩4.0M
$1,675 €1,505
79.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 ₩1.9M
$1,190 €1,069
20.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.2K ₩36.0M
$3,897 €3,502
597.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.3K ₩15.0M
$3,302 €2,967
242.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Osnabruck
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,570 ₩4.7M
$1,678 €1,508
112.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
3.95
3.29%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Osnabruck: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$659
Osnabruck
$712 8.1% $53
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$483
Osnabruck
$319 33.9% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$270
Osnabruck
$354 31.1% $84
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Osnabruck
$243 31.8% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$109
Osnabruck
$146 33.7% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$84
Osnabruck
$77 9.1% $7.7
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Osnabruck
$105 83.6% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $924 in Seoul versus $626 in Osnabruck. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Seoul are about 2.1 times higher, 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 $68 in Seoul versus $78 in Osnabruck. Groceries tell a different story – $483 in Seoul vs $319 in Osnabruck – so Osnabruck wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇩🇪 Osnabruck
🕒 Local time
20:06 8:06 PM
12:06 12:06 PM
8 h behind Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
169,108
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,327 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD). 1 EUR = 1,477 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Osnabruck 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Osnabruck

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Osnabruck: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Seoul or Osnabruck?
Osnabruck costs about 6% more than Seoul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Seoul and in Osnabruck?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,771 per month in Seoul and $2,935 in Osnabruck. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Seoul or Osnabruck?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Osnabruck, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $626 there versus $924 in Seoul.
Are groceries more expensive in Seoul or in Osnabruck?
Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Osnabruck – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How do dining costs compare in Seoul and in Osnabruck?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Seoul and $78 in Osnabruck. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Seoul or Osnabruck?
It depends on your priorities. Osnabruck has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,848 in Seoul to $1,956 in Osnabruck. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Seoul compared to Osnabruck?
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.

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