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: $1,513 in Busan versus $1,471 in Jinju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Busan versus $2,393 in Jinju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,138 in Busan versus $3,316 in Jinju.

Living in Busan is roughly 3% more expensive than Jinju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 13% above, Jinju 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 ₩10.4K

$8.65 ₩12.8K

-18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 ₩54.1K

$56.2 ₩83.1K

-34.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ₩9,005

$6.26 ₩9,249

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$4.14 ₩6,125

$3.84 ₩5,684

7.81%

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

$1.86 ₩2,754

$1.68 ₩2,478

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₩2,070

$0.86 ₩1,273

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,358

$3.63 ₩5,363

-0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 ₩8,499

$6.05 ₩8,946

-4.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,478

$2.19 ₩3,237

7.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₩5,320

$3.47 ₩5,135

3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,397

$3.12 ₩4,612

-4.81%

Eggs

$2.93 ₩4,327

$3.15 ₩4,650

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ₩15.8K

$14.19 ₩21.0K

-24.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 ₩12.2K

$11.02 ₩16.3K

-25.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.17 ₩40.2K

$34.13 ₩50.5K

-20.39%

Apples (1kg)

$8.48 ₩12.5K

$7.73 ₩11.4K

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,843

$3.47 ₩5,137

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.43 ₩11.0K

$5.64 ₩8,341

31.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 ₩7,627

$6.60 ₩9,753

-21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,642

$4.00 ₩5,912

29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,280

$2.83 ₩4,183

2.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,123

$2.55 ₩3,770

-17.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,774

$1.16 ₩1,712

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,801

$3.40 ₩5,023

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₩24.8K

$19.57 ₩28.9K

-14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,567

$2.46 ₩3,630

-29.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,881

$3.32 ₩4,914

-0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,653

$1.11 ₩1,646

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.46 ₩65.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩5,315

$3.52 ₩5,201

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,268

$0.57 ₩841

50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.70 ₩24.7K

$8.91 ₩13.2K

87.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,801

$1.19 ₩1,763

2.52%

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

$28.0K ₩41.4M

0.12%

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

$25.4K ₩37.6M

$24.8K ₩36.7M

2.42%

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

$189 ₩279.3K

$162 ₩239.7K

16.51%

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

$50.7 ₩74.9K

$34.87 ₩51.5K

45.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₩41.0K

$22.07 ₩32.6K

25.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₩78.8K

$48.62 ₩71.9K

9.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.26 ₩19.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 ₩17.1K

$10.90 ₩16.1K

6.15%

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

$498 ₩735.7K

$412 ₩609.5K

20.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.7M

$23.4K ₩34.6M

-40.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩154.3K

$58.2 ₩86.0K

79.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ₩98.7K

$47.61 ₩70.4K

40.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 ₩131.2K

$78.9 ₩116.6K

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩172.4K

$115 ₩170.0K

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₩758.5K

$453 ₩669.8K

13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₩474.9K

$372 ₩550.0K

-13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₩1.5M

$1,060 ₩1.6M

-4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₩985.2K

$763 ₩1.1M

-12.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,538 ₩14.1M

$7,806 ₩11.5M

22.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,941 ₩10.3M

$4,648 ₩6.9M

49.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,511 ₩3.7M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jinju: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Busan and $453 in Jinju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Busan vs $56 in Jinju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $497 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 Jinju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jinju wins on cost – living expenses run 3% 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 $2,269 in Busan and $2,206 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: $513 in Busan versus $453 in Jinju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Busan pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,513 per month in Busan versus $1,471 in Jinju – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,471 in Jinju versus $1,513 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 3% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.