Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jinju Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Jinju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,583 in Busan versus $1,472 in Jinju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Busan versus $2,349 in Jinju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Busan versus $3,225 in Jinju.

Living in Busan is roughly 8% more expensive than in Jinju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 15% above, Jinju 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$9.73 ₩13.0K

-23.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 ₩65.0K

$70.0 ₩93.9K

-30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 ₩9,111

$7.55 ₩10.1K

-10.07%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩4,923

$4.23 ₩5,666

-13.24%

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

$1.79 ₩2,398

$1.66 ₩2,229

7.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,914

$0.78 ₩1,043

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,007

$3.76 ₩5,046

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,794

$5.92 ₩7,939

-27.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.13 ₩2,854

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,305

$3.01 ₩4,037

6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,055

$4.37 ₩5,856

-30.89%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,577

$3.52 ₩4,717

-24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$17.23 ₩23.1K

-35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$9.97 ₩13.4K

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 ₩33.8K

$25.18 ₩33.8K

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.7K

$7.46 ₩10.0K

46.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 ₩4,953

$3.37 ₩4,516

9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 ₩11.0K

$5.68 ₩7,613

44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,091

$6.33 ₩8,489

-4.74%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,795

$3.63 ₩4,867

60.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₩4,423

$2.56 ₩3,436

28.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,713

$2.74 ₩3,674

1.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,780

$1.06 ₩1,426

25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,529

$3.26 ₩4,370

3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.0K

$18.90 ₩25.3K

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,167

$2.37 ₩3,184

-0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$3.06 ₩4,097

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$1.13 ₩1,512

0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ₩81.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,831

$3.48 ₩4,664

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩978

$0.58 ₩780

25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.95 ₩22.7K

$8.85 ₩11.9K

91.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$1.47 ₩1,967

-8.84%

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

$29.5K ₩39.6M

$29.3K ₩39.3M

0.70%

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

$32.9K ₩44.1M

$28.6K ₩38.4M

14.95%

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

$203 ₩272.2K

$200 ₩268.2K

1.52%

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

$36.96 ₩49.6K

$35.32 ₩47.4K

4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₩35.7K

$20.21 ₩27.1K

31.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 ₩84.2K

$55.2 ₩74.0K

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 ₩13.5K

$10.71 ₩14.4K

-5.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 ₩16.2K

$11.01 ₩14.8K

10.08%

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

$635 ₩851.7K

$574 ₩769.9K

10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$22.1K ₩29.6M

-0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.0K

$57.8 ₩77.5K

83.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 ₩87.1K

$32.21 ₩43.2K

101.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩123.7K

$69.5 ₩93.2K

32.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.1K

$80.8 ₩108.4K

57.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₩977.2K

$470 ₩630.9K

54.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₩493.1K

$303 ₩405.9K

21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 ₩1.8M

$1,161 ₩1.6M

14.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩944.5K

$784 ₩1.1M

-10.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,949 ₩13.3M

$7,701 ₩10.3M

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 ₩8.6M

$6,070 ₩8.1M

5.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 ₩3.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.08

3.43%

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

Last update for Busan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Jinju: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Busan and $470 in Jinju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Busan vs $70.0 in Jinju. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $467, with Jinju 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 Jinju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jinju wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jinju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,375 in Busan and $2,208 in Jinju 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: $729 in Busan versus $470 in Jinju. 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 $1,583 per month in Busan versus $1,472 in Jinju – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Jinju versus $1,583 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jinju but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Jinju 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 Jinju 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 Jinju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.