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: $1,495 in Busan versus $1,247 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Busan versus $1,902 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,214 in Busan versus $2,557 in Gwangju.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 9% above, Gwangju is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 ₩9,607

$6.13 ₩8,519

12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.07 ₩64.0K

$33.50 ₩46.6K

37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₩8,879

$5.58 ₩7,756

14.52%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ₩4,764

$3.13 ₩4,345

9.58%

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

$1.76 ₩2,442

$1.44 ₩2,003

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₩1,809

$0.60 ₩839

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,010

$2.86 ₩3,979

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₩5,780

$3.51 ₩4,883

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,112

$1.62 ₩2,246

38.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 ₩4,110

$2.31 ₩3,216

28.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,221

$2.23 ₩3,103

36.32%

Eggs

$2.47 ₩3,427

$2.59 ₩3,602

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 ₩14.3K

$8.59 ₩11.9K

19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 ₩13.4K

$7.61 ₩10.6K

26.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.87 ₩33.2K

$10.74 ₩14.9K

122.25%

Apples (1kg)

$10.61 ₩14.8K

$5.05 ₩7,018

110.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 ₩4,760

$2.78 ₩3,864

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.73 ₩10.7K

$3.46 ₩4,816

123.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 ₩7,935

$2.86 ₩3,977

99.65%

Potato (1kg)

$5.47 ₩7,606

$3.23 ₩4,485

69.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,348

$1.74 ₩2,414

79.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 ₩3,560

$1.92 ₩2,665

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,757

$1.26 ₩1,755

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₩4,386

$3.12 ₩4,336

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ₩24.6K

$10.49 ₩14.6K

68.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₩3,146

$1.39 ₩1,927

62.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,663

$2.13 ₩2,964

57.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,548

$0.98 ₩1,365

13.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 ₩78.7K

$63.1 ₩87.7K

-10.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ₩4,626

$2.99 ₩4,155

11.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₩1,005

$0.59 ₩825

22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.84 ₩22.0K

$7.38 ₩10.3K

114.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₩1,820

$1.14 ₩1,581

14.91%

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

$27.8K ₩38.6M

$26.2K ₩36.4M

6.18%

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

$31.7K ₩44.1M

$34.0K ₩47.2M

-6.60%

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

$186 ₩259.1K

$199 ₩277.2K

-6.55%

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

$34.79 ₩48.4K

$41.55 ₩57.8K

-16.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ₩35.0K

$19.41 ₩27.0K

29.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ₩83.4K

$53.5 ₩74.3K

12.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₩13.0K

$11.30 ₩15.7K

-17.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.8K

$10.42 ₩14.5K

9.12%

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

$606 ₩842.8K

$299 ₩415.6K

102.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K ₩29.0M

$16.7K ₩23.2M

25.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 ₩139.3K

$29.63 ₩41.2K

238.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ₩84.2K

$24.36 ₩33.9K

148.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 ₩122.9K

$59.2 ₩82.3K

49.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₩169.4K

$85.1 ₩118.2K

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₩962.7K

$478 ₩663.7K

45.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₩484.8K

$334 ₩464.8K

4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ₩1.7M

$1,060 ₩1.5M

16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₩922.6K

$682 ₩948.6K

-2.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,899 ₩13.8M

$7,645 ₩10.6M

29.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₩9.8M

$5,879 ₩8.2M

20.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,638 ₩3.7M

$2,658 ₩3.7M

-0.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.6

17.22%

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

Last update for Busan: August 16, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Busan and $478 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Busan vs $34.00 in Gwangju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $293 per month, with Gwangju 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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju wins on cost – living expenses run 20% 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, salaries run 1% lower in Gwangju. 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: $693 in Busan versus $478 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 11% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $606 in Busan versus $299 in Gwangju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,247 in Gwangju versus $1,495 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 20% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.