Cost of Living · KR vs DE
🇰🇷 Seoul vs 🇩🇪 Berlin: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,390 in South Korea vs $1,714 in Germany — 23.29% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Germany
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 7.03%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 7.05%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 7.06%
Closest to South Korea prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +26.97%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +26.97%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +26.97%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | South Korea | Germany | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $937 | $1,190 (1,099 EUR) | +26.97% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $750 | $952 (879 EUR) | +26.97% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,713 | $2,175 (2,010 EUR) | +26.97% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.02 | $13.29 (12 EUR) | +20.6% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $45.90 | $55.38 (51 EUR) | +20.65% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.04 | $8.35 (8 EUR) | +18.61% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.77 | $0.88 (1 EUR) | +14.29% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.24 | $2.57 (2 EUR) | +14.73% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.38 | $2.73 (3 EUR) | +14.71% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.00 | $8.02 (7 EUR) | +14.57% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.80 | $3.21 (3 EUR) | +14.64% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.36 | $3.85 (4 EUR) | +14.58% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.40 | $9.62 (9 EUR) | +14.52% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.40 | $1.60 (1 EUR) | +14.29% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.67 | $4.43 (4 EUR) | +20.71% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.69 | $7.16 (7 EUR) | +7.03% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.06 | $3.69 (3 EUR) | +20.59% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.61 | $1.84 (2 EUR) | +14.29% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $41.60 | $49.34 (46 EUR) | +18.61% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.76 | $2.09 (2 EUR) | +18.75% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.45 | $2.95 (3 EUR) | +20.41% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.10 | $1.33 (1 EUR) | +20.91% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.79 | $0.85 (1 EUR) | +7.59% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $128 | $152 (140 EUR) | +18.59% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $44.80 | $53.13 (49 EUR) | +18.59% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $28.80 | $34.16 (32 EUR) | +18.61% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $30.60 | $36.92 (34 EUR) | +20.65% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $8.57 | $10.34 (10 EUR) | +20.65% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $18.36 | $22.15 (20 EUR) | +20.64% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $46.01 | $49.26 (46 EUR) | +7.06% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $75.29 | $80.60 (74 EUR) | +7.05% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $153 | $185 (171 EUR) | +20.63% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Germany than South Korea?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,714 in Germany versus $1,390 in South Korea — 23.29% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Germany?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $4.43 in Germany (≈ 4.09 EUR), versus about $3.67 in South Korea.
- How much is rent in Germany compared to South Korea?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,190/month in Germany versus $937/month in South Korea (+26.97%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.