🇰🇷 South Korea · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Daegu? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
Officetel studio, downtown or Beomeo (wolse)₩400,000–650,000 / month plus ₩5–15 million deposit
Family apartment, Suseong-gu (wolse)₩700,000–1,200,000 / month plus deposit
Building maintenance fee (관리비) and utilities₩130,000–280,000 / month, and higher in August
Metro or bus with a transit card₩1,500, with free transfers between modes
Makchang for two with drinks₩30,000–45,000
Good to know
Population
≈2.35 million and slowly declining, the fourth-largest Korean city
Language
Korean, in the Gyeongsang dialect — pitch-accented, with -나 and -노 question endings that instantly mark the region
Currency
South Korean won (KRW, ₩)
Time zone
KST (GMT+9) — Korea does not observe daylight saving
Power plug
Types C and F, 220 V / 60 Hz
Climate
Inland basin — the hottest large city in Korea. It held the national temperature record of 40.0°C, set in 1942, until 2018. Winters are cold and dry
Area
The largest Korean metropolitan city by area since Gunwi County joined Daegu in July 2023
Metro
Three lines, of which Line 3 is an elevated monorail running above the streets — the view is the reason to ride it
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Daegu checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Daegu
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.