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 $1,274 in Cheonan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $1,957 in Cheonan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $2,640 in Cheonan.

Living in Busan is roughly 20% more expensive than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 14% above, Cheonan is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.8K

$5.71 ₩8,745

23.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩57.1K

$21.99 ₩33.7K

69.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,392

$4.84 ₩7,420

26.65%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,365

$2.14 ₩3,283

93.93%

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

$1.86 ₩2,847

$1.20 ₩1,845

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,117

$0.48 ₩735

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,687

$2.55 ₩3,900

45.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,824

$3.72 ₩5,696

54.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,577

$1.50 ₩2,295

55.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,432

$3.52 ₩5,387

0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,641

$3.03 ₩4,644

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,541

$1.73 ₩2,647

71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.9K

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩13.0K

$8.33 ₩12.8K

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.8K

$11.97 ₩18.3K

128.07%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩13.0K

$7.33 ₩11.2K

15.96%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,979

$2.50 ₩3,825

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.5K

$5.57 ₩8,541

35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,152

$5.31 ₩8,144

0.19%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,926

$4.99 ₩7,651

3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,511

$2.95 ₩4,527

-0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,064

$0.92 ₩1,411

117.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,832

$1.06 ₩1,619

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩5,024

$3.29 ₩5,034

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.6K

$16.68 ₩25.6K

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,663

$1.77 ₩2,709

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,307

$1.50 ₩2,296

130.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,702

$1.12 ₩1,712

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩68.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,360

$2.96 ₩4,528

18.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,208

$0.84 ₩1,289

-5.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.8K

$16.77 ₩25.7K

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,877

$1.16 ₩1,780

6.03%

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

$27.4K ₩42.0M

$27.8K ₩42.5M

-1.20%

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

$25.0K ₩38.3M

$25.3K ₩38.7M

-1.19%

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

$190 ₩291.6K

$141 ₩215.5K

35.34%

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

$49.90 ₩76.5K

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.7K

$9.97 ₩15.3K

172.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩79.7K

$48.28 ₩74.0K

7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.3K

$7.57 ₩11.6K

49.41%

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

$497 ₩762.1K

$492 ₩754.0K

1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.7M

$14.1K ₩21.6M

0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩160.2K

$102 ₩156.0K

2.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩99.4K

$48.01 ₩73.6K

35.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩135.2K

$74.2 ₩113.7K

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩180.6K

$110 ₩168.5K

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩765.3K

$453 ₩693.8K

10.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩490.5K

$378 ₩578.7K

-15.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$1,072 ₩1.6M

-6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩1.0M

$774 ₩1.2M

-15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩15.0M

$9,773 ₩15.0M

0.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.8M

$5,779 ₩8.9M

22.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.7M

$1,579 ₩2.4M

52.48%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $453 in Cheonan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 52% 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 $450 vs $362 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 20% 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.

Busan pays 52% more on average, 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: $500 in Busan versus $453 in Cheonan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $1,274 in Cheonan – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,274 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 20% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.