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: $1,491 in Busan versus $1,370 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Busan versus $2,158 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Busan versus $2,945 in Gwangju.

Living in Busan is roughly 9% more expensive than Gwangju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Gwangju 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.9K

$7.17 ₩10.6K

2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.93 ₩54.8K

$51.2 ₩76.0K

-27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,905

$5.78 ₩8,576

3.81%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,057

$3.85 ₩5,709

5.97%

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

$1.82 ₩2,706

$1.57 ₩2,321

15.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,968

$0.73 ₩1,081

82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,491

$2.91 ₩4,322

27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩8,584

$3.65 ₩5,409

58.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,320

$1.89 ₩2,810

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 ₩5,191

$2.33 ₩3,449

50.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,394

$3.13 ₩4,645

-5.43%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,407

$2.63 ₩3,896

12.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$7.23 ₩10.7K

42.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 ₩12.5K

$7.39 ₩11.0K

14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 ₩41.6K

$34.47 ₩51.1K

-18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$8.29 ₩12.3K

$7.91 ₩11.7K

4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,800

$3.49 ₩5,171

-7.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$5.64 ₩8,372

29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,711

$5.54 ₩8,223

-6.14%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,492

$3.82 ₩5,661

32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,498

$2.49 ₩3,693

21.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,003

$2.54 ₩3,761

-20.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,711

$1.15 ₩1,700

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,879

$3.36 ₩4,986

-2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$10.29 ₩15.3K

62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,514

$1.64 ₩2,429

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,178

$2.31 ₩3,422

51.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,650

$0.95 ₩1,406

16.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.7K

$66.6 ₩98.8K

-34.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,121

$3.02 ₩4,484

14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.53 ₩793

49.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩24.6K

$8.49 ₩12.6K

95.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,739

$1.23 ₩1,826

-4.88%

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

$27.5K ₩40.7M

$28.2K ₩41.9M

-2.79%

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

$24.7K ₩36.6M

$22.0K ₩32.6M

12.06%

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

$187 ₩277.1K

$165 ₩244.1K

13.48%

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

$49.90 ₩74.0K

$34.96 ₩51.9K

42.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩40.3K

$21.75 ₩32.3K

25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩77.9K

$48.69 ₩72.2K

7.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

$14.76 ₩21.9K

-9.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ₩17.1K

$8.58 ₩12.7K

34.27%

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

$496 ₩736.3K

$416 ₩617.1K

19.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.6M

$23.5K ₩34.8M

-40.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩152.4K

$50.9 ₩75.5K

101.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩98.2K

$37.05 ₩55.0K

78.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₩132.1K

$63.8 ₩94.6K

39.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩176.1K

$101 ₩149.9K

17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩766.1K

$449 ₩666.0K

15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩465.0K

$355 ₩526.2K

-11.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₩1.5M

$856 ₩1.3M

19.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₩993.4K

$584 ₩865.7K

14.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,547 ₩14.2M

$7,159 ₩10.6M

33.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,094 ₩10.5M

$5,796 ₩8.6M

22.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,452 ₩3.6M

$2,608 ₩3.9M

-5.98%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Busan and $449 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 6% 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 $446 vs $412, 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 9% 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 6% 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: $516 in Busan versus $449 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 53% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $496 in Busan versus $416 in Gwangju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,370 in Gwangju versus $1,491 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 9% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.