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 $2,458 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $3,491 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $4,525 in London.

Living in Busan costs roughly 38% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 14% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.7K

$18.12 CA$25.09

-60.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩56.5K

$74.1 CA$103

-49.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,288

$10.24 CA$14.18

-40.14%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,295

$3.50 CA$4.84

18.57%

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

$1.86 ₩2,816

$1.94 CA$2.69

-4.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,094

$1.94 CA$2.69

-28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,624

$5.73 CA$7.94

-35.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,726

$6.49 CA$8.98

-11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,538

$1.68 CA$2.33

38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,372

$2.30 CA$3.18

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,590

$3.37 CA$4.67

-10.09%

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,491

$3.26 CA$4.51

-9.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$9.54 CA$13.21

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$12.09 CA$16.74

-29.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$9.23 CA$12.79

195.77%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$4.47 CA$6.19

90.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$1.41 CA$1.95

130.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.4K

$3.56 CA$4.92

111.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,062

$3.86 CA$5.34

37.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$1.63 CA$2.26

217.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,461

$2.03 CA$2.81

44.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,030

$2.18 CA$3.02

-8.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,812

$1.51 CA$2.09

-20.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,969

$12.72 CA$17.62

-74.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.4K

$13.15 CA$18.20

27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,633

$2.13 CA$2.95

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$2.59 CA$3.58

33.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$2.42 CA$3.35

-54.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩67.9K

$82.3 CA$114

-45.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,301

$4.08 CA$5.65

-14.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$1.70 CA$2.35

-53.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.5K

$31.21 CA$43.21

-46.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,856

$1.16 CA$1.61

6.03%

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

$27.4K ₩41.6M

$24.5K CA$34.0K

11.90%

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

$25.0K ₩37.8M

$20.1K CA$27.9K

24.14%

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

$190 ₩288.4K

$144 CA$199

32.15%

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

$49.90 ₩75.6K

$47.21 CA$65.4

5.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.2K

$56.7 CA$78.6

-52.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩78.8K

$41.05 CA$56.8

26.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.1K

$7.35 CA$10.17

80.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.1K

$10.84 CA$15.01

4.34%

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

$497 ₩753.7K

$563 CA$779

-11.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$14.3K CA$19.7K

-0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$55.0 CA$76.2

90.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩98.3K

$46.55 CA$64.5

39.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩133.7K

$84.0 CA$116

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.6K

$81.2 CA$112

45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩756.9K

$1,433 CA$1,984

-65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩485.1K

$1,294 CA$1,791

-75.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$2,644 CA$3,661

-61.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩989.5K

$1,977 CA$2,737

-66.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩14.8M

$3,473 CA$4,809

181.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.7M

$3,698 CA$5,120

90.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.6M

$2,993 CA$4,144

-19.56%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for London: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $1,433 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 24% 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 $74.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $325, 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 61% 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, London earns 24% less. 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: $500 in Busan versus $1,433 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 84% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $497 in Busan versus $563 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 $2,458 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 61% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.