Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jeonju Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jeonju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,513 in Busan versus $1,244 in Jeonju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Busan versus $1,913 in Jeonju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,138 in Busan versus $2,582 in Jeonju.

Living in Busan is roughly 22% more expensive than Jeonju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 13% above, Jeonju is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 ₩10.4K

$6.55 ₩9,690

7.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 ₩54.1K

$27.84 ₩41.2K

31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ₩9,005

$5.23 ₩7,735

16.44%

Cappuccino

$4.14 ₩6,125

$3.72 ₩5,502

11.29%

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

$1.86 ₩2,754

$1.07 ₩1,588

73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₩2,070

$0.67 ₩992

108.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,358

$1.94 ₩2,868

86.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 ₩8,499

$3.02 ₩4,463

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,478

$2.00 ₩2,957

17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₩5,320

$2.23 ₩3,294

61.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,397

$3.07 ₩4,538

-3.26%

Eggs

$2.93 ₩4,327

$2.95 ₩4,365

-0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ₩15.8K

$10.52 ₩15.5K

1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 ₩12.2K

$8.35 ₩12.3K

-1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.17 ₩40.2K

$27.69 ₩40.9K

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$8.48 ₩12.5K

$8.49 ₩12.5K

-0.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,843

$3.27 ₩4,836

0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.43 ₩11.0K

$7.28 ₩10.8K

2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 ₩7,627

$5.31 ₩7,846

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,642

$5.00 ₩7,399

3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,280

$2.97 ₩4,386

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,123

$2.10 ₩3,111

0.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,774

$1.16 ₩1,713

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,801

$3.24 ₩4,796

0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₩24.8K

$16.56 ₩24.5K

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,567

$1.75 ₩2,587

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,881

$3.30 ₩4,884

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,653

$1.10 ₩1,628

1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.46 ₩65.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩5,315

$3.46 ₩5,121

4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,268

$0.84 ₩1,245

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.70 ₩24.7K

$16.82 ₩24.9K

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,801

$1.20 ₩1,776

1.67%

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

$28.0K ₩41.4M

$27.7K ₩40.9M

1.34%

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

$25.4K ₩37.6M

$25.3K ₩37.4M

0.44%

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

$189 ₩279.3K

$190 ₩280.3K

-0.38%

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

$50.7 ₩74.9K

$50.1 ₩74.1K

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₩41.0K

$21.84 ₩32.3K

26.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₩78.8K

$47.36 ₩70.0K

12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.26 ₩19.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 ₩17.1K

$8.66 ₩12.8K

33.60%

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

$498 ₩735.7K

$486 ₩718.3K

2.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.7M

$14.1K ₩20.9M

-0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩154.3K

$29.53 ₩43.7K

253.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ₩98.7K

$47.99 ₩71.0K

39.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 ₩131.2K

$66.2 ₩97.8K

34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩172.4K

$118 ₩173.7K

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₩758.5K

$282 ₩417.6K

81.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₩474.9K

$223 ₩330.0K

43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₩1.5M

$561 ₩828.7K

79.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₩985.2K

$463 ₩684.2K

43.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,538 ₩14.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,941 ₩10.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,511 ₩3.7M

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 20, 2026

Last update for Jeonju: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Busan and $282 in Jeonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Busan vs $28 in Jeonju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $432 per month, with Jeonju 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 Jeonju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeonju wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jeonju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,269 in Busan and $1,866 in Jeonju to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Busan versus $282 in Jeonju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,513 per month in Busan versus $1,244 in Jeonju – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Jeonju versus $1,513 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeonju but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Jeonju 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 Jeonju 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 Jeonju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.