Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jecheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jecheon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in Busan versus $1,489 in Jecheon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Busan versus $2,358 in Jecheon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Busan versus $3,226 in Jecheon.

Monthly costs are close between Busan and Jecheon; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.9K

$7.34 ₩10.9K

-0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.93 ₩54.8K

$36.68 ₩54.4K

0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,905

$6.08 ₩9,016

-1.32%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,057

$4.15 ₩6,156

-1.69%

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

$1.82 ₩2,706

$1.80 ₩2,668

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,968

$1.33 ₩1,978

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,491

$3.68 ₩5,464

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩8,584

$5.97 ₩8,857

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,320

$2.27 ₩3,360

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 ₩5,191

$3.57 ₩5,296

-1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,394

$3.06 ₩4,541

-3.27%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,407

$2.95 ₩4,380

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$10.27 ₩15.2K

0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 ₩12.5K

$8.29 ₩12.3K

1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 ₩41.6K

$27.11 ₩40.2K

3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$8.29 ₩12.3K

$8.31 ₩12.3K

-0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,800

$3.15 ₩4,667

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$7.37 ₩10.9K

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,711

$5.25 ₩7,783

-0.95%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,492

$5.00 ₩7,421

1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,498

$2.94 ₩4,362

3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,003

$2.07 ₩3,072

-2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,711

$1.21 ₩1,799

-4.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,879

$3.38 ₩5,016

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$17.29 ₩25.7K

-3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,514

$1.69 ₩2,509

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,178

$3.46 ₩5,128

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,650

$1.06 ₩1,569

4.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,121

$3.45 ₩5,120

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.80 ₩1,190

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩24.6K

$16.79 ₩24.9K

-1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,739

$1.18 ₩1,749

-0.85%

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

$27.5K ₩40.7M

$27.5K ₩40.8M

-0.26%

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

$24.7K ₩36.6M

$24.8K ₩36.7M

-0.39%

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

$187 ₩277.1K

$187 ₩276.8K

0.10%

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

$49.90 ₩74.0K

$51.1 ₩75.7K

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩40.3K

$27.50 ₩40.8K

-1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩77.9K

$48.13 ₩71.4K

9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ₩17.1K

$11.31 ₩16.8K

1.86%

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

$496 ₩736.3K

$491 ₩727.8K

1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.6M

$14.2K ₩21.1M

-2.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩152.4K

$104 ₩154.2K

-1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩98.2K

$47.70 ₩70.8K

38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₩132.1K

$87.1 ₩129.2K

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩176.1K

$117 ₩172.9K

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩766.1K

$448 ₩664.2K

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩465.0K

$372 ₩551.9K

-15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₩1.5M

$1,054 ₩1.6M

-3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₩993.4K

$773 ₩1.1M

-13.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,547 ₩14.2M

$9,674 ₩14.3M

-1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,094 ₩10.5M

$6,528 ₩9.7M

8.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,452 ₩3.6M

$1,354 ₩2.0M

81.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Jecheon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Busan and $448 in Jecheon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 81% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Busan vs $37.00 in Jecheon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $446 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 Jecheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan pays 81% more on average, 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: $516 in Busan versus $448 in Jecheon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jecheon – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $37.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,489 in Jecheon versus $1,491 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jecheon but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Jecheon 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 Jecheon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Jecheon wins on affordability, Busan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.