Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Anseong-si Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Anseong-si

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,583 per month in Busan vs $1,402 in Anseong-si, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,484 per month in Busan vs $2,171 in Anseong-si, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,384 per month in Busan vs $2,941 in Anseong-si, rent included.

Busan costs about 13% more than Anseong-si, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Busan and Anseong-si sit above the global median – Busan by 15%, Anseong-si by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$8.45 ₩11.3K

-11.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 ₩65.0K

$34.15 ₩45.8K

41.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 ₩9,111

$6.42 ₩8,604

5.76%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩4,923

$3.28 ₩4,396

11.89%

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

$1.79 ₩2,398

$1.73 ₩2,314

3.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,914

$0.75 ₩1,000

90.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,007

$3.16 ₩4,241

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,794

$4.22 ₩5,658

2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.26 ₩3,027

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,305

$3.54 ₩4,741

-9.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,055

$2.57 ₩3,446

17.51%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,577

$2.81 ₩3,770

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$12.01 ₩16.1K

-7.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$7.47 ₩10.0K

37.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 ₩33.8K

$19.35 ₩26.0K

30.34%

Apples (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.7K

$8.15 ₩10.9K

34.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 ₩4,953

$3.28 ₩4,394

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 ₩11.0K

$8.46 ₩11.3K

-2.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,091

$6.39 ₩8,574

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,795

$3.83 ₩5,131

51.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₩4,423

$2.52 ₩3,381

30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,713

$2.66 ₩3,568

4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,780

$1.37 ₩1,844

-2.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,529

$2.94 ₩3,941

14.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.0K

$16.17 ₩21.7K

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,167

$1.98 ₩2,661

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$3.21 ₩4,300

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$1.07 ₩1,439

6.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ₩81.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,831

$3.35 ₩4,494

7.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩978

$0.59 ₩788

23.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.95 ₩22.7K

$14.37 ₩19.3K

17.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$1.31 ₩1,755

2.29%

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

$29.5K ₩39.6M

$30.2K ₩40.4M

-2.01%

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

$32.9K ₩44.1M

$32.4K ₩43.5M

1.40%

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

$203 ₩272.2K

$205 ₩275.0K

-1.01%

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

$36.96 ₩49.6K

$41.14 ₩55.2K

-10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₩35.7K

$20.64 ₩27.7K

29.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 ₩84.2K

$54.2 ₩72.6K

15.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 ₩13.5K

$10.98 ₩14.7K

-8.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 ₩16.2K

$12.57 ₩16.9K

-3.58%

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

$635 ₩851.7K

$496 ₩665.0K

28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$20.8K ₩27.9M

5.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.0K

$61.6 ₩82.7K

71.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 ₩87.1K

$67.6 ₩90.6K

-3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩123.7K

$80.6 ₩108.1K

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.1K

$87.5 ₩117.3K

45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₩977.2K

$500 ₩671.1K

45.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₩493.1K

$367 ₩492.5K

0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 ₩1.8M

$1,034 ₩1.4M

29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩944.5K

$757 ₩1.0M

-6.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,949 ₩13.3M

$7,651 ₩10.3M

30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 ₩8.6M

$6,003 ₩8.1M

6.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 ₩3.8M

$1,857 ₩2.5M

50.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.1

2.93%

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

Last update for Busan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Anseong-si: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Busan versus $500 in Anseong-si. 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 51% higher in Busan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Busan versus $34.00 in Anseong-si. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $485 vs $429 – making Anseong-si 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

Busan vs Anseong-si: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Busan is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,375 per month in Busan and $2,104 in Anseong-si. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Busan and $34.00 in Anseong-si. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Busan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Anseong-si, where all-in costs run around $1,402, than in Busan at $1,583. In Anseong-si it covers expenses comfortably, while in Busan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anseong-si – 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 Anseong-si. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Busan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.