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: $1,558 in Busan versus $1,403 in Cheonan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,474 in Busan versus $2,204 in Cheonan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,389 in Busan versus $3,005 in Cheonan.

Living in Busan is roughly 11% more expensive than in Cheonan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 13% above, Cheonan 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.1K

$7.36 ₩9,982

1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.19 ₩64.0K

$21.53 ₩29.2K

119.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ₩8,998

$4.20 ₩5,692

58.10%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₩5,007

$1.47 ₩1,994

151.02%

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

$1.83 ₩2,477

$1.14 ₩1,544

60.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₩1,864

$1.35 ₩1,830

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,085

$2.20 ₩2,986

70.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₩5,539

$4.21 ₩5,704

-2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,032

$1.55 ₩2,104

44.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,132

$3.16 ₩4,285

-3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,204

$2.98 ₩4,042

4.03%

Eggs

$2.55 ₩3,462

$2.59 ₩3,516

-1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₩14.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ₩14.1K

$10.11 ₩13.7K

2.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.66 ₩33.4K

$24.13 ₩32.7K

2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$10.92 ₩14.8K

$10.67 ₩14.5K

2.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₩4,734

$3.51 ₩4,757

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 ₩10.6K

$7.99 ₩10.8K

-2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 ₩7,703

$5.60 ₩7,586

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,073

$5.71 ₩7,741

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,519

$3.14 ₩4,263

6.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 ₩3,688

$2.79 ₩3,780

-2.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,787

$1.31 ₩1,771

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,379

$3.26 ₩4,425

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ₩25.2K

$17.74 ₩24.1K

4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,220

$2.39 ₩3,242

-0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₩4,616

$3.37 ₩4,570

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,518

$1.10 ₩1,485

1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 ₩78.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩4,835

$2.88 ₩3,904

23.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,027

$0.75 ₩1,017

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.31 ₩22.1K

$16.10 ₩21.8K

1.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,850

$1.18 ₩1,604

15.25%

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

$28.4K ₩38.6M

$28.9K ₩39.2M

-1.59%

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

$32.5K ₩44.0M

$32.8K ₩44.5M

-1.00%

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

$195 ₩263.8K

$191 ₩259.2K

1.79%

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

$35.82 ₩48.6K

$34.82 ₩47.2K

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 ₩35.7K

$25.91 ₩35.1K

1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ₩82.0K

$54.9 ₩74.5K

10.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.48 ₩12.9K

$11.69 ₩15.8K

-18.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 ₩15.6K

$11.64 ₩15.8K

-1.37%

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

$620 ₩840.3K

$611 ₩828.3K

1.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₩28.6M

$20.7K ₩28.1M

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩140.8K

$66.4 ₩90.0K

56.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 ₩86.1K

$58.2 ₩78.9K

9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ₩124.2K

$90.6 ₩122.8K

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₩165.5K

$125 ₩169.9K

-2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₩956.6K

$426 ₩577.5K

65.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₩476.3K

$341 ₩462.6K

2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 ₩1.8M

$1,111 ₩1.5M

18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₩934.6K

$704 ₩954.6K

-2.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₩13.6M

$7,494 ₩10.2M

33.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,273 ₩8.5M

$5,453 ₩7.4M

15.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,791 ₩3.8M

$1,755 ₩2.4M

59.04%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Busan and $426 in Cheonan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 59% 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: $47.00 in Busan vs $22.00 in Cheonan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 vs $463 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 11% 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 59% 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: $705 in Busan versus $426 in Cheonan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,558 per month in Busan versus $1,403 in Cheonan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,403 in Cheonan versus $1,558 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 11% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.