Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Gwangju Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Gwangju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,494 in Busan versus $1,414 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Busan versus $2,189 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,171 in Busan versus $2,964 in Gwangju.

Living in Busan is roughly 6% more expensive than Gwangju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Gwangju 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩11.1K

$7.54 ₩11.4K

-2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.36 ₩56.7K

$50.9 ₩77.3K

-26.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩9,003

$5.78 ₩8,773

2.60%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ₩6,070

$3.96 ₩6,012

1.01%

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

$1.88 ₩2,852

$1.57 ₩2,380

19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,021

$0.74 ₩1,117

79.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩5,520

$2.89 ₩4,389

25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 ₩8,993

$3.61 ₩5,488

63.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,574

$1.87 ₩2,834

25.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,427

$2.45 ₩3,714

45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,766

$3.11 ₩4,717

0.96%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,345

$2.72 ₩4,131

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₩16.1K

$7.47 ₩11.3K

41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 ₩12.8K

$7.51 ₩11.4K

12.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.75 ₩42.1K

$34.52 ₩52.4K

-19.61%

Apples (1kg)

$8.37 ₩12.7K

$7.63 ₩11.6K

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,898

$3.62 ₩5,504

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.55 ₩11.5K

$5.60 ₩8,509

34.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ₩8,006

$5.60 ₩8,505

-5.89%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,738

$3.94 ₩5,986

29.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,632

$2.44 ₩3,705

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,093

$2.64 ₩4,016

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,827

$1.17 ₩1,775

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩5,008

$3.41 ₩5,173

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₩24.5K

$9.93 ₩15.1K

62.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,689

$1.60 ₩2,433

10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩5,056

$2.39 ₩3,624

39.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,714

$0.89 ₩1,346

26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩66.8K

$65.1 ₩98.8K

-32.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,313

$2.95 ₩4,483

18.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,281

$0.53 ₩803

58.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩25.0K

$8.35 ₩12.7K

97.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,756

$1.21 ₩1,834

-4.13%

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

$28.0K ₩42.5M

$27.3K ₩41.4M

2.49%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$22.1K ₩33.6M

14.47%

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

$186 ₩282.7K

$164 ₩248.3K

13.87%

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

$50.8 ₩77.1K

$34.17 ₩51.9K

48.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₩42.5K

$21.89 ₩33.2K

27.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ₩79.6K

$47.10 ₩71.5K

11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.0K

$14.78 ₩22.5K

-10.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 ₩17.0K

$8.63 ₩13.1K

29.43%

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

$489 ₩743.0K

$412 ₩625.4K

18.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.8M

$23.7K ₩36.0M

-39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩155.7K

$50.8 ₩77.2K

101.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 ₩99.0K

$37.32 ₩56.7K

74.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₩131.5K

$63.9 ₩97.0K

35.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.2K

$101 ₩153.6K

16.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩759.8K

$446 ₩677.1K

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₩491.7K

$358 ₩542.9K

-9.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₩1.5M

$830 ₩1.3M

19.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₩1.0M

$593 ₩900.6K

13.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,714 ₩14.8M

$6,852 ₩10.4M

41.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 ₩10.6M

$5,649 ₩8.6M

23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,396 ₩3.6M

$2,527 ₩3.8M

-5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.9

8.21%

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

Last update for Busan: June 6, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $446 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Busan vs $51.0 in Gwangju. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $414, with Gwangju cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gwangju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gwangju earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Busan versus $446 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gwangju runs roughly 48% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $489 in Busan versus $412 in Gwangju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,494 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju 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 Gwangju 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 Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.