Cost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ansan and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,458 in Ansan versus $1,494 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,241 in Ansan versus $2,332 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,025 in Ansan versus $3,171 in Busan.

Living in Ansan costs roughly 2% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ansan 8% above, Busan 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 ₩10.9K

$7.33 ₩11.1K

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.56 ₩35.8K

$37.36 ₩56.7K

-36.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₩7,764

$5.93 ₩9,003

-13.83%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₩5,759

$4.00 ₩6,070

-5.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,637

$1.88 ₩2,852

-7.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩1,056

$1.33 ₩2,021

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 ₩4,336

$3.64 ₩5,520

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₩5,501

$5.92 ₩8,993

-38.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ₩3,242

$2.35 ₩3,574

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 ₩5,000

$3.57 ₩5,427

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,922

$3.14 ₩4,766

3.18%

Eggs

$3.08 ₩4,675

$2.86 ₩4,345

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 ₩21.5K

$10.58 ₩16.1K

33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.01 ₩16.7K

$8.42 ₩12.8K

30.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.60 ₩51.0K

$27.75 ₩42.1K

21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.68 ₩11.7K

$8.37 ₩12.7K

-8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,328

$3.23 ₩4,898

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,403

$7.55 ₩11.5K

-26.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 ₩9,749

$5.27 ₩8,006

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,902

$5.10 ₩7,738

-23.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₩4,302

$3.05 ₩4,632

-7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,993

$2.04 ₩3,093

28.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,023

$1.20 ₩1,827

10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,053

$3.30 ₩5,008

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 ₩24.6K

$16.14 ₩24.5K

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₩3,662

$1.77 ₩2,689

36.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩5,045

$3.33 ₩5,056

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,701

$1.13 ₩1,714

-0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩66.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₩5,491

$3.50 ₩5,313

3.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩812

$0.84 ₩1,281

-36.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 ₩13.3K

$16.49 ₩25.0K

-46.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,762

$1.16 ₩1,756

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ₩42.8M

$28.0K ₩42.5M

0.81%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.8K ₩37.7M

$25.3K ₩38.4M

-1.84%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$166 ₩251.9K

$186 ₩282.7K

-10.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.98 ₩53.1K

$50.8 ₩77.1K

-31.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 ₩33.3K

$27.96 ₩42.5K

-21.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.90 ₩43.9K

$52.4 ₩79.6K

-44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩16.7K

$11.17 ₩17.0K

-1.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$417 ₩633.3K

$489 ₩743.0K

-14.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.8M

$14.3K ₩21.8M

64.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ₩90.0K

$103 ₩155.7K

-42.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 ₩71.9K

$65.2 ₩99.0K

-27.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 ₩120.5K

$86.6 ₩131.5K

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.6K

$117 ₩178.2K

-2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₩666.1K

$500 ₩759.8K

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₩555.4K

$324 ₩491.7K

12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 ₩1.7M

$991 ₩1.5M

12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₩1.1M

$673 ₩1.0M

10.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.9K ₩33.2M

$9,714 ₩14.8M

125.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 ₩10.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,303 ₩2.0M

$2,396 ₩3.6M

-45.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ansan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Ansan and $500 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 84% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ansan vs $37.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $486 vs $450, with Busan cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ansan vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ansan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Busan earns 84% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Ansan versus $500 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $417 in Ansan versus $489 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ansan – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $37.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,458 in Ansan versus $1,494 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ansan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Ansan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ansan and Busan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ansan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.