Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,510 per month in Bucheon vs $1,491 in Busan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,378 per month in Bucheon vs $2,362 in Busan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,246 per month in Bucheon vs $3,234 in Busan, rent included.

Bucheon costs about 1% more than Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bucheon and Busan sit above the global median – Bucheon by 13%, Busan by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 ₩13.3K

$7.32 ₩10.8K

22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 ₩82.3K

$36.93 ₩54.4K

51.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 ₩9,635

$6.00 ₩8,845

9.00%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₩5,729

$4.08 ₩6,016

-4.66%

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

$1.66 ₩2,442

$1.82 ₩2,688

-8.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,264

$1.33 ₩1,954

-35.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,531

$3.70 ₩5,454

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 ₩8,739

$5.79 ₩8,525

2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₩3,217

$2.24 ₩3,297

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 ₩5,025

$3.50 ₩5,155

-2.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,782

$2.96 ₩4,365

9.80%

Eggs

$3.05 ₩4,499

$2.97 ₩4,377

2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 ₩20.7K

$10.31 ₩15.2K

36.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 ₩16.1K

$8.45 ₩12.4K

29.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.69 ₩51.1K

$28.07 ₩41.4K

23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 ₩11.5K

$8.29 ₩12.2K

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,174

$3.24 ₩4,767

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 ₩8,408

$7.28 ₩10.7K

-21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩9,729

$5.20 ₩7,659

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₩5,861

$5.05 ₩7,442

-21.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,375

$3.03 ₩4,468

-1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 ₩3,758

$2.02 ₩2,982

26.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₩1,757

$1.15 ₩1,699

3.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,937

$3.29 ₩4,846

1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 ₩28.8K

$16.69 ₩24.6K

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,560

$1.69 ₩2,497

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,949

$3.49 ₩5,143

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,572

$1.11 ₩1,638

-3.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ₩5,219

$3.45 ₩5,087

2.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩844

$0.79 ₩1,161

-27.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$16.60 ₩24.5K

-48.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,744

$1.17 ₩1,727

0.85%

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

$27.4K ₩40.3M

$27.5K ₩40.5M

-0.33%

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

$25.0K ₩36.8M

$24.7K ₩36.3M

1.28%

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

$166 ₩244.9K

$187 ₩275.2K

-10.99%

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

$35.47 ₩52.3K

$49.90 ₩73.5K

-28.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.54 ₩33.2K

$27.20 ₩40.1K

-17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.89 ₩69.1K

$52.5 ₩77.4K

-10.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 ₩16.2K

$11.52 ₩17.0K

-4.77%

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

$408 ₩600.8K

$496 ₩731.4K

-17.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩34.2M

$13.9K ₩20.5M

67.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 ₩88.4K

$103 ₩151.4K

-41.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.30 ₩71.2K

$66.2 ₩97.5K

-27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ₩119.4K

$89.1 ₩131.2K

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.5K

$119 ₩174.9K

-1.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩680.2K

$516 ₩760.9K

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩545.6K

$313 ₩461.8K

18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₩1.6M

$1,022 ₩1.5M

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₩1.1M

$670 ₩986.7K

13.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,571 ₩12.6M

$9,547 ₩14.1M

-10.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,484 ₩9.6M

$7,094 ₩10.5M

-8.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,342 ₩2.0M

$2,452 ₩3.6M

-45.29%

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 Bucheon: April 28, 2026

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Bucheon versus $516 in Busan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 83% higher in Busan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Bucheon versus $37.00 in Busan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $446 – making Busan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bucheon vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,510 in Bucheon, $1,491 in Busan – roughly 1% apart. Bucheon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,264 per month in Bucheon and $2,237 in Busan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Busan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,510 in Bucheon and $1,491 in Busan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $408 per month in Bucheon and $496 in Busan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Busan, where all-in costs run around $1,491, than in Bucheon at $1,510. In Busan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bucheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Busan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Busan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.