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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,583 per month in Busan vs $1,484 in Bucheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,484 per month in Busan vs $2,350 in Bucheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,384 per month in Busan vs $3,217 in Bucheon, rent included.

Busan costs about 7% more than Bucheon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Busan and Bucheon sit above the global median – Busan by 15%, Bucheon by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$9.62 ₩12.9K

-22.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 ₩65.0K

$67.5 ₩90.6K

-28.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 ₩9,111

$7.48 ₩10.0K

-9.22%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩4,923

$4.06 ₩5,442

-9.61%

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

$1.79 ₩2,398

$1.61 ₩2,154

11.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,914

$0.81 ₩1,093

76.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,007

$3.65 ₩4,900

2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,794

$5.93 ₩7,946

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.14 ₩2,874

5.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,305

$3.06 ₩4,101

4.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,055

$4.21 ₩5,650

-28.27%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,577

$3.43 ₩4,600

-22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$17.35 ₩23.3K

-36.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$10.15 ₩13.6K

0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 ₩33.8K

$25.48 ₩34.2K

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.7K

$7.84 ₩10.5K

39.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 ₩4,953

$3.37 ₩4,524

9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 ₩11.0K

$5.79 ₩7,760

41.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,091

$6.39 ₩8,576

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,795

$3.73 ₩5,001

55.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₩4,423

$2.48 ₩3,321

33.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,713

$2.79 ₩3,739

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,780

$1.08 ₩1,446

23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,529

$3.30 ₩4,430

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.0K

$18.65 ₩25.0K

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,167

$2.44 ₩3,275

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$3.08 ₩4,133

12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$1.02 ₩1,365

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ₩81.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,831

$3.49 ₩4,677

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩978

$0.58 ₩783

25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.95 ₩22.7K

$9.04 ₩12.1K

87.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$1.46 ₩1,964

-8.22%

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

$29.5K ₩39.6M

$29.7K ₩39.9M

-0.63%

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

$32.9K ₩44.1M

$28.0K ₩37.5M

17.65%

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

$203 ₩272.2K

$201 ₩269.7K

0.92%

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

$36.96 ₩49.6K

$35.42 ₩47.5K

4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₩35.7K

$19.90 ₩26.7K

33.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 ₩84.2K

$52.4 ₩70.3K

19.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 ₩13.5K

$11.16 ₩15.0K

-9.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 ₩16.2K

$11.29 ₩15.1K

7.35%

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

$635 ₩851.7K

$569 ₩762.7K

11.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$22.9K ₩30.8M

-4.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.0K

$57.9 ₩77.7K

82.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 ₩87.1K

$32.85 ₩44.1K

97.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩123.7K

$70.6 ₩94.6K

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.1K

$80.6 ₩108.1K

58.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₩977.2K

$442 ₩593.2K

64.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₩493.1K

$325 ₩436.0K

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 ₩1.8M

$1,171 ₩1.6M

13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩944.5K

$625 ₩838.3K

12.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,949 ₩13.3M

$6,956 ₩9.3M

43.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 ₩8.6M

$5,459 ₩7.3M

16.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 ₩3.8M

$1,485 ₩2.0M

88.70%

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 Bucheon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Busan versus $442 in Bucheon. 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 89% 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 $68.0 in Bucheon. Groceries tell a different story – $485 in Busan vs $472 in Bucheon – so Bucheon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bucheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,583 in Busan, $1,484 in Bucheon – roughly 7% apart. Busan costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,375 per month in Busan and $2,226 in Bucheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucheon, 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 $1,583 in Busan and $1,484 in Bucheon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $635 per month in Busan and $569 in Bucheon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucheon, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Busan at $1,583. In Bucheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Busan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bucheon – 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 Bucheon. 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.