Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Incheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Incheon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $1,370 in Incheon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Busan versus $2,142 in Incheon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,148 in Busan versus $2,913 in Incheon.

Living in Busan is roughly 11% more expensive than in Incheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 14% above, Incheon 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.5K

$6.51 ₩9,605

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ₩55.0K

$36.68 ₩54.1K

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩8,756

$6.49 ₩9,582

-8.63%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,017

$3.58 ₩5,277

13.97%

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

$1.86 ₩2,748

$1.39 ₩2,052

33.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,975

$0.66 ₩971

103.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₩5,489

$3.11 ₩4,583

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,765

$4.46 ₩6,579

33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,317

$2.16 ₩3,182

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,064

$3.15 ₩4,646

8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 ₩4,437

$2.77 ₩4,088

8.66%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,218

$3.11 ₩4,590

-8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ₩15.4K

$14.40 ₩21.2K

-27.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 ₩12.3K

$6.84 ₩10.1K

21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.01 ₩39.9K

$13.25 ₩19.5K

103.85%

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 ₩12.7K

$7.61 ₩11.2K

12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,604

$2.95 ₩4,359

5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 ₩10.8K

$5.62 ₩8,295

29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,552

$6.72 ₩9,910

-23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,527

$3.52 ₩5,193

44.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,487

$1.91 ₩2,824

59.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,971

$1.91 ₩2,814

5.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,789

$1.32 ₩1,950

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,997

$3.28 ₩4,838

3.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 ₩24.9K

$16.51 ₩24.4K

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,487

$2.07 ₩3,052

-18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,939

$1.89 ₩2,792

77.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₩1,729

$1.10 ₩1,624

6.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.13 ₩65.1K

$25.27 ₩37.3K

74.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,111

$3.48 ₩5,141

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,251

$0.53 ₩786

60.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.39 ₩24.2K

$9.01 ₩13.3K

81.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,715

$1.20 ₩1,767

-3.33%

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

$27.3K ₩40.3M

$28.0K ₩41.3M

-2.53%

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

$25.5K ₩37.6M

$14.2K ₩21.0M

79.05%

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

$190 ₩280.5K

$163 ₩240.8K

16.48%

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

$49.69 ₩73.3K

$34.66 ₩51.1K

43.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₩40.4K

$20.38 ₩30.1K

34.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ₩77.8K

$33.40 ₩49.3K

57.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 ₩19.4K

$37.45 ₩55.2K

-64.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩16.9K

$10.95 ₩16.2K

4.38%

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

$484 ₩714.6K

$256 ₩378.3K

88.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.7M

$10.9K ₩16.1M

28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩154.4K

$59.2 ₩87.4K

76.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 ₩99.4K

$47.96 ₩70.8K

40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₩129.4K

$66.1 ₩97.5K

32.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.1K

$104 ₩153.2K

11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₩751.8K

$671 ₩989.6K

-24.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₩476.3K

$386 ₩569.3K

-16.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$1,392 ₩2.1M

-27.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ₩965.8K

$790 ₩1.2M

-17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩14.4M

$6,055 ₩8.9M

61.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,105 ₩10.5M

$5,100 ₩7.5M

39.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,545 ₩3.8M

$2,180 ₩3.2M

16.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Incheon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Busan and $671 in Incheon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 17% 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 $37.00 in Incheon. Groceries flip the comparison at $443 vs $391, with Incheon 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 Incheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Incheon wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Incheon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Busan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $510 in Busan versus $671 in Incheon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Incheon runs roughly 75% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $484 in Busan versus $256 in Incheon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,370 in Incheon versus $1,523 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Incheon but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Incheon 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 Incheon 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 Incheon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.