😐A single person spends $1,644 per month in Spain vs $1,426 in South Korea, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,400 per month in Spain vs $2,249 in South Korea, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Spain vs $3,071 in South Korea, rent included.
😐Spain costs about 15% more than South Korea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Both Spain and South Korea are pricier than the global median – Spain by 23%, South Korea by 6%.
📏Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,115–$3,300) than South Korea ($1,253–$1,784), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.01€13.67
$7.34₩10.8K
118.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0€50.4
$44.05₩64.9K
33.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.26€8.77
$5.73₩8,448
79.06%
Cappuccino
$2.29€1.95
$3.66₩5,396
-37.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59€2.21
$1.64₩2,412
57.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81€1.55
$0.77₩1,138
135.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.53€3.01
$3.74₩5,515
-5.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02€3.44
$4.68₩6,894
-14.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.06
$2.24₩3,301
-44.64%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52€1.30
$3.15₩4,635
-51.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60€1.37
$2.95₩4,349
-45.76%
Eggs
$2.98€2.54
$3.03₩4,470
-1.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.49€12.38
$13.95₩20.5K
3.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37€7.14
$9.38₩13.8K
-10.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.94€13.62
$30.14₩44.4K
-47.11%
Apples(1kg)
$2.54€2.17
$7.78₩11.5K
-67.35%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10€1.79
$3.48₩5,134
-39.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.06€1.76
$5.84₩8,604
-64.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.64€2.25
$6.11₩9,009
-56.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84€1.58
$3.89₩5,730
-52.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91€1.63
$2.84₩4,179
-32.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33€1.14
$2.41₩3,554
-44.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80€0.68
$1.19₩1,760
-32.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.43€5.49
$3.38₩4,979
90.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.82€4.97
$15.87₩23.4K
-63.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24€1.06
$2.05₩3,025
-39.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11€1.80
$2.89₩4,254
-26.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.45
$1.12₩1,656
51.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.64€29.58
$46.99₩69.2K
-26.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.60€3.93
$3.29₩4,842
39.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35€1.15
$0.56₩829
141.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.00€23.06
$8.79₩12.9K
207.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84€1.57
$1.19₩1,755
54.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K€32.7K
$27.7K₩40.8M
38.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K€26.7K
$24.2K₩35.7M
28.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151€129
$167₩246.2K
-9.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.30€17.34
$41.36₩60.9K
-50.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21€28.36
$21.78₩32.1K
52.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.38€40.47
$51.8₩76.3K
-8.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.74€13.44
$19.40₩28.6K
-18.87%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06€7.74
$11.22₩16.5K
-19.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$523€446
$392₩577.6K
33.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,978€8,521
$22.6K₩33.3M
-55.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7€74.9
$57.9₩85.3K
51.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.32€31.87
$47.54₩70.0K
-21.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.7€75.8
$80.6₩118.7K
10.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€90.8
$109₩160.6K
-2.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052€899
$625₩920.5K
68.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$809€691
$418₩615.3K
93.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,674€1,429
$1,564₩2.3M
7.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,213€1,036
$963₩1.4M
25.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,487€3,832
$13.0K₩19.2M
-65.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,733€2,334
$8,275₩12.2M
-66.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
South Korea
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,111€1,803
$2,241₩3.3M
-5.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
4.2
-16.43%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Spain: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para South Korea: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $899 in Spain vs $459 in South Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,595 in Madrid and $956 in Seoul.
💰Average salary: $2,010 in Spain vs $1,973 in South Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 96% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 33% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 175% more expensive in Spain.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Spain vs South Korea: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which country is cheaper: South Korea or Spain?
South Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 45% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in South Korea or Spain?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in South Korea vs Spain?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Korea, contributing to the overall 45% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both South Korea and Spain on $2,000 per month?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Korea, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: South Korea or Spain?
South Korea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.