Moving to Germany from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Germany? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Germany, you would find that Germany is 62.7% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩111,594,750 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly €84,607 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Germany.
What does your salary buy?
₩111,594,750 → €84,607
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 14.8% less
Transportation
pay 88.8% more
Housing
pay 99.6% more
Childcare
pay 20.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 60.3% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Germany cost about 36% more than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Germany.
people moved from South Korea to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Germany compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Germany generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Germany performs significantly better than South Korea across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Germany leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
South Korea performs better than Germany across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Germany than South Korea?
On average Germany is around 29% pricier than South Korea, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
Budget about €21,152 for 3 months in Germany (based on a ₩111,594,750 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
Connectivity is usually fine (Germany: 45.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Germany offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Germany safe for expats?
Germany generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
