Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Ilsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Ilsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,583 in Busan versus $1,417 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Busan versus $2,307 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Busan versus $3,198 in Ilsan.

Living in Busan is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 15% above, Ilsan 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$7.30 ₩9,802

2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 ₩65.1K

$67.7 ₩90.8K

-28.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 ₩9,117

$7.34 ₩9,849

-7.49%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩4,926

$4.19 ₩5,626

-12.41%

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

$1.79 ₩2,399

$1.65 ₩2,213

8.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,915

$0.76 ₩1,023

88.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,010

$3.67 ₩4,918

1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,797

$5.91 ₩7,928

-26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,037

$2.10 ₩2,825

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,307

$3.12 ₩4,192

2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,057

$2.24 ₩3,008

34.82%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,579

$3.22 ₩4,320

-17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$15.55 ₩20.9K

-28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$7.57 ₩10.2K

35.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 ₩33.8K

$11.35 ₩15.2K

122.20%

Apples (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.7K

$7.73 ₩10.4K

41.66%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 ₩4,956

$3.14 ₩4,216

17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 ₩11.0K

$5.82 ₩7,807

41.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,096

$6.29 ₩8,437

-4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,800

$3.41 ₩4,572

70.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₩4,425

$2.44 ₩3,281

35.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,715

$2.08 ₩2,786

33.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,781

$1.07 ₩1,440

24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,531

$3.37 ₩4,527

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,169

$2.29 ₩3,066

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,669

$3.15 ₩4,222

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,527

$1.12 ₩1,505

1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ₩81.0K

$49.03 ₩65.8K

23.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,834

$3.48 ₩4,666

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩979

$0.65 ₩875

12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.95 ₩22.7K

$8.85 ₩11.9K

91.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,792

$1.40 ₩1,878

-4.29%

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

$29.5K ₩39.6M

$29.8K ₩40.0M

-0.76%

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

$32.9K ₩44.2M

$28.3K ₩38.0M

16.12%

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

$203 ₩272.4K

$208 ₩278.8K

-2.29%

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

$36.96 ₩49.6K

$35.68 ₩47.9K

3.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₩35.7K

$20.07 ₩26.9K

32.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 ₩84.2K

$56.6 ₩76.0K

10.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 ₩13.5K

$12.13 ₩16.3K

-16.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 ₩16.3K

$11.22 ₩15.1K

8.02%

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

$635 ₩852.2K

$576 ₩773.3K

10.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$17.8K ₩23.9M

23.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.1K

$57.6 ₩77.3K

83.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 ₩87.2K

$32.06 ₩43.0K

102.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩123.8K

$71.0 ₩95.2K

29.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.2K

$80.5 ₩108.0K

58.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₩977.8K

$450 ₩604.1K

61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₩493.4K

$345 ₩462.3K

6.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 ₩1.8M

$1,094 ₩1.5M

21.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩945.1K

$660 ₩885.5K

6.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,949 ₩13.4M

$7,303 ₩9.8M

36.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 ₩8.6M

$5,955 ₩8.0M

7.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 ₩3.8M

$3,506 ₩4.7M

-20.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.1

2.93%

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

Last update for Busan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Busan and $450 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Busan vs $68.0 in Ilsan. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $396, with Ilsan 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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilsan wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ilsan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Ilsan. 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: $729 in Busan versus $450 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 23% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $635 in Busan versus $576 in Ilsan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,417 in Ilsan versus $1,583 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan 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 Ilsan 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 Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.