Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Boryeong Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Boryeong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,583 in Busan versus $1,463 in Boryeong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Busan versus $2,381 in Boryeong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Busan versus $3,300 in Boryeong.

Living in Busan is roughly 8% more expensive than in Boryeong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 15% above, Boryeong 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$9.64 ₩12.9K

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 ₩65.0K

$68.0 ₩91.2K

-28.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 ₩9,111

$7.23 ₩9,697

-6.09%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩4,923

$4.12 ₩5,520

-10.92%

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

$1.79 ₩2,398

$1.57 ₩2,108

14.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,914

$0.83 ₩1,118

72.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,007

$3.61 ₩4,844

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,794

$5.79 ₩7,764

-25.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.06 ₩2,763

9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,305

$3.03 ₩4,062

5.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,055

$4.29 ₩5,749

-29.60%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,577

$3.41 ₩4,576

-21.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$17.28 ₩23.2K

-35.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$9.83 ₩13.2K

4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 ₩33.8K

$25.16 ₩33.7K

0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.7K

$7.46 ₩10.0K

46.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 ₩4,953

$3.42 ₩4,583

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 ₩11.0K

$5.77 ₩7,740

42.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,091

$6.07 ₩8,136

-0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,795

$3.72 ₩4,987

56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₩4,423

$2.50 ₩3,357

32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,713

$2.82 ₩3,784

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,780

$1.07 ₩1,441

24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,529

$3.42 ₩4,591

-1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.0K

$18.87 ₩25.3K

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,167

$2.41 ₩3,238

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$3.14 ₩4,214

10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$1.10 ₩1,477

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ₩81.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,831

$3.63 ₩4,872

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩978

$0.58 ₩783

25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.95 ₩22.7K

$9.15 ₩12.3K

85.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$1.50 ₩2,007

-10.67%

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

$29.5K ₩39.6M

$28.8K ₩38.6M

2.67%

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

$32.9K ₩44.1M

$28.0K ₩37.6M

17.37%

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

$203 ₩272.2K

$202 ₩270.6K

0.59%

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

$36.96 ₩49.6K

$35.51 ₩47.6K

4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₩35.7K

$19.80 ₩26.6K

34.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 ₩84.2K

$56.8 ₩76.1K

10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 ₩13.5K

$11.02 ₩14.8K

-8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 ₩16.2K

$11.23 ₩15.1K

7.93%

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

$635 ₩851.7K

$587 ₩786.6K

8.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$22.9K ₩30.7M

-3.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.0K

$58.4 ₩78.3K

81.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 ₩87.1K

$33.25 ₩44.6K

95.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩123.7K

$70.0 ₩93.9K

31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.1K

$80.5 ₩108.0K

58.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₩977.2K

$424 ₩568.0K

72.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₩493.1K

$392 ₩525.1K

-6.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 ₩1.8M

$1,120 ₩1.5M

19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩944.5K

$645 ₩864.8K

9.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,949 ₩13.3M

$6,231 ₩8.4M

59.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 ₩8.6M

$5,992 ₩8.0M

6.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 ₩3.8M

$1,488 ₩2.0M

88.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.08

3.43%

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

Last update for Busan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Boryeong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Busan and $424 in Boryeong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 88% 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: $48.00 in Busan vs $68.0 in Boryeong. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $466, with Boryeong 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

Busan vs Boryeong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan and Boryeong differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,583 vs $1,463 including rent). Boryeong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Busan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Busan versus $424 in Boryeong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $635 in Busan versus $587 in Boryeong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boryeong – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $48.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,463 in Boryeong versus $1,583 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boryeong but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Boryeong 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, Busan and Boryeong 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 Boryeong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.