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: $1,494 in Busan versus $1,509 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Busan versus $2,401 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,171 in Busan versus $3,292 in Ilsan.

Living in Busan costs roughly 1% less than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Ilsan 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩11.1K

$7.24 ₩11.0K

1.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.36 ₩56.7K

$56.1 ₩85.2K

-33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩9,003

$6.51 ₩9,893

-8.91%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ₩6,070

$3.88 ₩5,897

3.09%

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

$1.88 ₩2,852

$1.67 ₩2,539

12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,021

$0.74 ₩1,131

79.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩5,520

$3.74 ₩5,678

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 ₩8,993

$5.85 ₩8,878

1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,574

$2.15 ₩3,266

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,427

$3.45 ₩5,244

3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,766

$3.11 ₩4,727

0.96%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,345

$3.04 ₩4,616

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₩16.1K

$14.52 ₩22.1K

-27.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 ₩12.8K

$10.90 ₩16.6K

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.75 ₩42.1K

$34.53 ₩52.4K

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$8.37 ₩12.7K

$8.00 ₩12.1K

4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,898

$3.45 ₩5,234

-6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.55 ₩11.5K

$5.71 ₩8,669

32.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ₩8,006

$6.38 ₩9,692

-17.40%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,738

$3.86 ₩5,856

32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,632

$2.92 ₩4,442

4.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,093

$2.63 ₩4,001

-22.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,827

$1.16 ₩1,760

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩5,008

$3.23 ₩4,899

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₩24.5K

$16.64 ₩25.3K

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,689

$2.46 ₩3,732

-28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩5,056

$3.26 ₩4,953

2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,714

$1.10 ₩1,671

2.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩66.8K

$47.85 ₩72.7K

-8.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,313

$2.36 ₩3,590

48.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,281

$0.56 ₩852

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩25.0K

$8.56 ₩13.0K

92.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,756

$1.09 ₩1,654

6.42%

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

$28.0K ₩42.5M

$28.0K ₩42.6M

-0.28%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$24.7K ₩37.5M

2.40%

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

$186 ₩282.7K

$162 ₩246.1K

14.90%

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

$50.8 ₩77.1K

$34.84 ₩52.9K

45.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₩42.5K

$22.09 ₩33.5K

26.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ₩79.6K

$46.96 ₩71.3K

11.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 ₩17.0K

$10.97 ₩16.7K

1.82%

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

$489 ₩743.0K

$416 ₩631.5K

17.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.8M

$23.5K ₩35.7M

-39.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩155.7K

$59.9 ₩90.9K

71.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 ₩99.0K

$47.09 ₩71.5K

38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₩131.5K

$80.9 ₩122.9K

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.2K

$118 ₩179.8K

-0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩759.8K

$460 ₩698.3K

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₩491.7K

$382 ₩579.8K

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₩1.5M

$1,080 ₩1.6M

-8.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₩1.0M

$770 ₩1.2M

-12.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,714 ₩14.8M

$9,626 ₩14.6M

0.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 ₩10.6M

$5,315 ₩8.1M

30.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,396 ₩3.6M

$3,086 ₩4.7M

-22.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

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

Last update for Busan: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $460 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 29% 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: $37.00 in Busan vs $56.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $492 per month, with Busan 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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ilsan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ilsan earns 29% 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 $460 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 9% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $489 in Busan versus $416 in Ilsan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,494 in Busan versus $1,509 in Ilsan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. The gap between the two cities makes Busan 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 Busan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.