Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $2,389 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Busan versus $3,461 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,148 in Busan versus $4,533 in London.

Living in Busan costs roughly 36% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 14% above, London 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.6K

$18.12 CA$25.41

-60.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ₩55.4K

$73.3 CA$103

-49.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩8,828

$10.11 CA$14.17

-41.35%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,067

$3.48 CA$4.87

17.24%

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

$1.86 ₩2,770

$1.99 CA$2.78

-6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,991

$1.95 CA$2.73

-31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₩5,534

$5.70 CA$7.99

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,837

$6.52 CA$9.15

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,344

$1.63 CA$2.29

38.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,106

$2.42 CA$3.39

41.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 ₩4,473

$3.30 CA$4.62

-8.79%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,253

$3.25 CA$4.56

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ₩15.5K

$9.81 CA$13.75

6.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 ₩12.4K

$12.06 CA$16.90

-30.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.01 ₩40.2K

$9.06 CA$12.71

198.12%

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 ₩12.8K

$4.62 CA$6.48

85.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,642

$1.43 CA$2.00

118.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 ₩10.9K

$3.60 CA$5.05

102.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,614

$3.79 CA$5.32

35.09%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,589

$1.63 CA$2.28

212.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,524

$2.13 CA$2.98

42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,996

$2.19 CA$3.07

-8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,803

$1.45 CA$2.03

-16.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩5,038

$12.72 CA$17.84

-73.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 ₩25.1K

$12.42 CA$17.41

35.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,507

$2.13 CA$2.98

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,979

$2.52 CA$3.54

32.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₩1,743

$2.36 CA$3.31

-50.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.13 ₩65.6K

$83.1 CA$116

-46.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,153

$4.16 CA$5.83

-16.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,261

$1.77 CA$2.48

-51.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.39 ₩24.4K

$30.80 CA$43.18

-46.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,729

$1.15 CA$1.61

0.87%

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

$27.3K ₩40.6M

$24.8K CA$34.8K

10.09%

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

$25.5K ₩37.9M

$20.6K CA$28.9K

23.58%

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

$190 ₩282.8K

$144 CA$202

31.98%

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

$49.69 ₩73.9K

$47.42 CA$66.5

4.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₩40.7K

$57.7 CA$80.9

-52.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ₩78.5K

$41.55 CA$58.3

26.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 ₩19.6K

$7.50 CA$10.51

75.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩17.0K

$10.97 CA$15.38

4.19%

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

$484 ₩720.4K

$551 CA$772

-12.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.8M

$14.4K CA$20.1K

-2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩155.7K

$53.9 CA$75.6

94.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 ₩100.2K

$45.75 CA$64.1

47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₩130.4K

$86.0 CA$121

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩172.5K

$81.5 CA$114

42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₩758.0K

$1,462 CA$2,049

-65.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₩480.2K

$1,306 CA$1,832

-75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$2,646 CA$3,710

-61.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ₩973.7K

$1,986 CA$2,785

-67.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩14.5M

$3,401 CA$4,768

187.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,105 ₩10.6M

$3,635 CA$5,097

95.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,545 ₩3.8M

$2,843 CA$3,985

-10.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

6.21

-32.05%

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

Last update for Busan: July 12, 2026

Last update for London: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Busan and $1,462 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 12% 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 $73.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $443 vs $324, with London 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in London. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $510 in Busan versus $1,462 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 88% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $484 in Busan versus $551 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,523 in Busan versus $2,389 in London, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Busan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,523 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Busan and London 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 Busan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.