For one person, living is cheaper in Fiji: $709 a month against $1,627 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Busan and in Fiji actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,627 in Busan versus $709 in Fiji.
Busan $1,627
Fiji $709
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Busan versus $1,144 in Fiji.
Busan $2,557
Fiji $1,144
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,486 in Busan versus $1,578 in Fiji.
Busan $3,486
Fiji $1,578
🌍
Living in Busan is roughly 129% more expensive than in Fiji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 21% above, Fiji is 47% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.25₩9,718
$4.32FJD 9.68
67.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.28₩64.7K
$31.65FJD 70.9
52.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.47₩8,664
$6.54FJD 14.65
-1.07%
Cappuccino
$3.65₩4,888
$2.50FJD 5.59
46.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77₩2,373
$1.35FJD 3.01
31.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39₩1,866
$1.05FJD 2.34
32.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.83₩5,137
$4.08FJD 9.14
-6.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37₩5,857
$4.04FJD 9.06
8.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.32₩3,107
$1.25FJD 2.80
85.60%
White Bread(500g)
$3.26₩4,373
$0.26FJD 0.59
1153.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.11₩4,167
$0.85FJD 1.90
265.88%
Eggs
$2.62₩3,506
$3.08FJD 6.91
-14.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.18₩15.0K
$10.64FJD 23.83
5.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.38₩13.9K
$5.30FJD 11.87
95.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.03₩33.5K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$11.02₩14.8K
$1.30FJD 2.92
747.69%
Banana(1kg)
$3.54₩4,738
$0.86FJD 1.94
311.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.86₩10.5K
$1.83FJD 4.10
329.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.85₩7,845
$1.31FJD 2.93
346.56%
Potato(1kg)
$5.88₩7,883
$0.70FJD 1.56
740.00%
Onion(1kg)
$3.39₩4,545
$0.74FJD 1.65
358.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.73₩3,657
$0.88FJD 1.96
210.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32₩1,771
$0.52FJD 1.16
153.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.33₩4,459
$10.95FJD 24.52
-69.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.44₩24.7K
$6.19FJD 13.87
197.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38₩3,184
$3.97FJD 8.90
-40.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48₩4,657
$4.12FJD 9.22
-15.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Busan
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.19₩1,589
$0.93FJD 2.08
27.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.1₩79.2K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.60₩4,828
$1.12FJD 2.52
221.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.72₩962
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.66₩22.3K
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36₩1,826
$1.25FJD 2.81
8.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K₩40.0M
$46.1KFJD 103.2K
-35.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K₩45.3M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$196₩263.2K
$53.5FJD 120
267.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.52₩48.9K
$13.37FJD 29.96
173.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.50₩36.9K
$17.80FJD 39.88
54.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.5₩83.7K
$21.89FJD 49.04
185.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.62₩12.9K
$4.42FJD 9.89
117.65%
Cinema Ticket
$12.04₩16.1K
$4.10FJD 9.18
193.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$637₩853.9K
$44.79FJD 100
1322.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$21.6K₩28.9M
-
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👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106₩142.3K
$19.42FJD 43.50
446.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.6₩87.8K
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.5₩126.6K
$30.25FJD 67.8
212.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128₩171.7K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Busan
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$734₩983.3K
$680FJD 1,524
7.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$365₩488.8K
$270FJD 605
35.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,341₩1.8M
$1,095FJD 2,453
22.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$701₩939.4K
$610FJD 1,367
14.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.0K₩13.4M
$1,289FJD 2,887
676.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,421₩8.6M
$1,293FJD 2,897
396.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Busan
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,841₩3.8M
$538FJD 1,205
428.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.22
6
-29.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Busan: October 4, 2026
Last update for Fiji: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Busan
$483 30.1%
Fiji
$169 * 24% ↓ 65.1%$315
🏠Accommodation & Living
Busan
$365 22.7%
Fiji
$270 38.4% ↓ 26%$95
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busan
$260 16.2%
Fiji
$85 12% ↓ 67.5%$176
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Busan
$177 11.1%
Fiji
$22 * 3.2% ↓ 87.4%$155
🍽Eating Out
Busan
$162 10.1%
Fiji
$122 17.4% ↓ 24.4%$40
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Busan
$87 5.4%
Fiji
$30 4.3% ↓ 65.2%$56
🚌Getting Around
Busan
$71 4.4%
Fiji
$4.8 * 0.7% ↓ 93.2%$66
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Busan
$1.1K 33.2%
Fiji
$369 * 23.2% ↓ 67.4%$762
🏠Accommodation & Living
Busan
$701 20.6%
Fiji
$610 38.3% ↓ 12.9%$91
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busan
$297 8.7%
Fiji
$98 6.1% ↓ 67%$199
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Busan
$394 11.6%
Fiji
$50 * 3.1% ↓ 87.4%$345
🍽Eating Out
Busan
$559 16.4%
Fiji
$392 24.6% ↓ 29.9%$167
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Busan
$183 5.4%
Fiji
$65 4.1% ↓ 64.6%$118
🚌Getting Around
Busan
$144 4.2%
Fiji
$12 * 0.7% ↓ 92%$133
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $734 in Busan and $680 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Busan pays 428% 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: $48.00 in Busan vs $32.00 in Fiji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $169 per month, with Fiji cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Busan or Fiji?
Fiji wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fiji the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Busan or in Fiji?
Average pay runs 428% higher in Busan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Busan compared to Fiji?
Rent for a central apartment: $734 in Busan versus $680 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Busan or in Fiji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 187% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Busan compared to Fiji?
All in, you'll spend $1,627 per month in Busan versus $709 in Fiji – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Busan or in Fiji?
At $709 in Fiji versus $1,627 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Busan or Fiji?
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.
How safe is Busan compared to Fiji?
Safety-wise, Busan and Fiji are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.