Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Cheonan Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Cheonan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $1,281 in Cheonan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Busan versus $1,967 in Cheonan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,148 in Busan versus $2,652 in Cheonan.

Living in Busan is roughly 19% more expensive than in Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 14% above, Cheonan is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.5K

$5.95 ₩8,778

19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ₩55.0K

$22.10 ₩32.6K

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩8,756

$5.09 ₩7,514

16.50%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,017

$2.22 ₩3,272

83.78%

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

$1.86 ₩2,748

$1.17 ₩1,720

58.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,975

$0.51 ₩754

162.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₩5,489

$2.63 ₩3,880

41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,765

$3.74 ₩5,511

58.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,317

$1.50 ₩2,217

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,064

$3.60 ₩5,309

-4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 ₩4,437

$3.08 ₩4,540

-2.27%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,218

$1.79 ₩2,639

59.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ₩15.4K

$10.62 ₩15.7K

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 ₩12.3K

$8.13 ₩12.0K

2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.01 ₩39.9K

$11.86 ₩17.5K

127.74%

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 ₩12.7K

$7.27 ₩10.7K

18.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,604

$2.55 ₩3,759

22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 ₩10.8K

$5.66 ₩8,345

28.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,552

$5.35 ₩7,891

-4.30%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,527

$5.26 ₩7,764

-3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,487

$2.92 ₩4,312

4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,971

$0.90 ₩1,329

123.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,789

$1.04 ₩1,537

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,997

$3.40 ₩5,019

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 ₩24.9K

$16.98 ₩25.0K

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,487

$1.68 ₩2,476

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,939

$1.44 ₩2,126

132.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₩1,729

$1.12 ₩1,656

4.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.13 ₩65.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,111

$2.97 ₩4,385

16.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,251

$0.79 ₩1,169

7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.39 ₩24.2K

$16.64 ₩24.6K

-1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,715

$1.15 ₩1,704

0.87%

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

$27.3K ₩40.3M

$28.2K ₩41.6M

-3.08%

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

$25.5K ₩37.6M

$25.1K ₩37.0M

1.59%

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

$190 ₩280.5K

$143 ₩210.8K

33.02%

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

$49.69 ₩73.3K

$51.3 ₩75.7K

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₩40.4K

$10.03 ₩14.8K

172.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ₩77.8K

$48.50 ₩71.6K

8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 ₩19.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩16.9K

$7.50 ₩11.1K

52.40%

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

$484 ₩714.6K

$484 ₩714.7K

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.7M

$14.2K ₩20.9M

-1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩154.4K

$102 ₩150.7K

2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 ₩99.4K

$47.89 ₩70.7K

40.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₩129.4K

$73.8 ₩108.9K

18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.1K

$108 ₩159.9K

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₩751.8K

$461 ₩679.7K

10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₩476.3K

$373 ₩550.1K

-13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$1,077 ₩1.6M

-6.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ₩965.8K

$753 ₩1.1M

-13.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩14.4M

$8,049 ₩11.9M

21.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,105 ₩10.5M

$4,770 ₩7.0M

48.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,545 ₩3.8M

$1,624 ₩2.4M

56.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Busan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Busan and $461 in Cheonan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 57% 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: $37.00 in Busan vs $22.00 in Cheonan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $363 per month, with Cheonan cheaper across the board.

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 Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheonan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $510 in Busan versus $461 in Cheonan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,523 per month in Busan versus $1,281 in Cheonan – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,281 in Cheonan versus $1,523 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheonan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Cheonan 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 Cheonan 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 Cheonan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.