Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $720 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $1,104 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $1,488 in Da Nang.

Living in Busan is roughly 112% more expensive than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 14% above, Da Nang is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.7K

$1.97 ₫51.8K

258.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩56.5K

$18.92 ₫497.2K

96.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,288

$4.60 ₫120.8K

33.26%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,295

$1.63 ₫42.9K

154.60%

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

$1.86 ₩2,816

$0.50 ₫13.1K

272.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,094

$0.29 ₫7,495

375.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,624

$1.02 ₫26.9K

263.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,726

$1.60 ₫42.0K

260.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,538

$1.43 ₫37.5K

62.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,372

$1.02 ₫26.9K

248.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,590

$1.15 ₫30.3K

163.48%

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,491

$1.42 ₫37.4K

108.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$12.25 ₫321.8K

-15.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$3.63 ₫95.5K

133.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$10.13 ₫266.3K

169.50%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$2.75 ₫72.2K

209.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$1.00 ₫26.2K

225.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.4K

$1.09 ₫28.6K

590.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,062

$1.07 ₫28.1K

397.20%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$1.13 ₫29.8K

357.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,461

$1.15 ₫30.2K

155.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,030

$1.04 ₫27.4K

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,812

$0.48 ₫12.6K

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,969

$1.36 ₫35.7K

141.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.4K

$7.71 ₫202.5K

116.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,633

$0.86 ₫22.7K

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$1.66 ₫43.7K

108.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$0.32 ₫8,325

246.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩67.9K

$3.92 ₫103.0K

1043.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,301

$0.90 ₫23.6K

288.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$0.69 ₫18.0K

14.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.5K

$11.67 ₫306.7K

44.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,856

$0.89 ₫23.4K

38.20%

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

$27.4K ₩41.6M

$26.8K ₫705.1M

2.25%

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

$25.0K ₩37.8M

$28.1K ₫738.4M

-11.13%

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

$190 ₩288.4K

$74.3 ₫2.0M

156.14%

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

$49.90 ₩75.6K

$5.71 ₫150.1K

773.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.2K

$8.07 ₫212.1K

237.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩78.8K

$20.37 ₫535.3K

155.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.1K

$7.65 ₫201.0K

73.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.1K

$3.11 ₫81.6K

263.67%

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

$497 ₩753.7K

$156 ₫4.1M

219.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$12.7K ₫333.9M

11.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$38.62 ₫1.0M

170.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩98.3K

$26.00 ₫683.1K

149.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩133.7K

$52.7 ₫1.4M

67.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.6K

$75.8 ₫2.0M

55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩756.9K

$360 ₫9.5M

38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩485.1K

$249 ₫6.5M

28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$727 ₫19.1M

38.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩989.5K

$459 ₫12.0M

42.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩14.8M

$3,870 ₫101.7M

152.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.7M

$1,283 ₫33.7M

449.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.6M

$353 ₫9.3M

581.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

10.67

-60.45%

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

Last update for Busan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $360 in Da Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 582% 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 $19.00 in Da Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $188 per month, with Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Da Nang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Busan pays 582% 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 $360 in Da Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Da Nang runs roughly 1044% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $497 in Busan versus $156 in Da Nang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $720 in Da Nang versus $1,523 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Da Nang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $720 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Da Nang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Busan and Da Nang 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 Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.