Moving to South Korea from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to South Korea? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 1.4% more expensive than Spain overall. A €64,304 salary in Spain would need to be roughly ₩96,104,055 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → ₩96,104,055
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 49.3% less
Groceries
pay 74.9% more
Transportation
pay 20.1% less
Housing
pay 27.8% less
Childcare
pay 29.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Spain to South Korea.
people moved from Spain to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain 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
South Korea performs significantly better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Spain generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in life expectancy.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, 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 | Madrid | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Spain passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea passport holder visiting Spain
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 South Korea than Spain?
On average South Korea is about 15% less expensive than Spain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Budget about ₩24,026,014 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Korea: 45.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Korea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Korea safe for expats?
Spain generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 64% of people in South Korea feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 44.8 in Spain. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
