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: $1,558 in Busan versus $2,334 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,474 in Busan versus $3,386 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,389 in Busan versus $4,439 in London.

Living in Busan costs roughly 33% less than in London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 13% above, London 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.2K

$22.03 CA$30.61

-66.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.19 ₩64.8K

$65.9 CA$91.5

-28.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ₩9,112

$12.47 CA$17.33

-46.75%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₩5,070

$3.66 CA$5.09

0.82%

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

$1.83 ₩2,508

$2.19 CA$3.04

-16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₩1,888

$2.19 CA$3.04

-37.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,149

$6.37 CA$8.84

-41.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₩5,609

$6.38 CA$8.87

-35.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,070

$1.74 CA$2.41

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,184

$2.53 CA$3.51

20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,257

$3.95 CA$5.49

-21.52%

Eggs

$2.55 ₩3,506

$3.70 CA$5.13

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₩14.7K

$11.84 CA$16.45

-9.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ₩14.2K

$13.10 CA$18.21

-20.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.66 ₩33.9K

$15.28 CA$21.23

61.39%

Apples (1kg)

$10.92 ₩15.0K

$4.34 CA$6.03

151.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₩4,794

$1.30 CA$1.81

168.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 ₩10.7K

$3.72 CA$5.17

110.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 ₩7,800

$4.19 CA$5.82

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,175

$3.01 CA$4.18

97.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,576

$2.87 CA$3.98

16.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 ₩3,735

$2.61 CA$3.62

4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,809

$1.54 CA$2.14

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,435

$12.19 CA$16.94

-73.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ₩25.5K

$12.61 CA$17.52

47.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,261

$2.52 CA$3.50

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₩4,674

$2.95 CA$4.10

15.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,537

$2.40 CA$3.33

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 ₩79.0K

$79.7 CA$111

-27.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩4,896

$2.49 CA$3.46

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,040

$1.68 CA$2.34

-54.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.31 ₩22.4K

$22.57 CA$31.37

-27.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,873

$1.22 CA$1.69

11.48%

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

$28.4K ₩39.1M

$28.8K CA$40.0K

-1.16%

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

$32.5K ₩44.6M

$23.3K CA$32.3K

39.47%

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

$195 ₩267.2K

$137 CA$190

42.22%

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

$35.82 ₩49.2K

$42.44 CA$59.0

-15.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 ₩36.1K

$56.2 CA$78.1

-53.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ₩83.1K

$39.25 CA$54.5

54.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.48 ₩13.0K

$29.78 CA$41.39

-68.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 ₩15.8K

$11.04 CA$15.34

3.99%

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

$620 ₩850.9K

$414 CA$575

49.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₩29.0M

$21.1K CA$29.3K

0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩142.6K

$54.6 CA$75.8

90.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 ₩87.2K

$39.49 CA$54.9

60.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ₩125.8K

$83.8 CA$116

9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₩167.6K

$91.4 CA$127

33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₩968.7K

$1,283 CA$1,783

-45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₩482.3K

$1,190 CA$1,654

-70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 ₩1.8M

$2,060 CA$2,862

-36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₩946.5K

$1,710 CA$2,376

-59.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₩13.8M

$3,530 CA$4,905

184.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,273 ₩8.6M

$3,716 CA$5,164

68.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,791 ₩3.8M

$2,952 CA$4,101

-5.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.73

-10.78%

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

Last update for Busan: August 30, 2026

Last update for London: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Busan and $1,283 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 6% 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: $47.00 in Busan vs $66.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $476 vs $373, 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 50% 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 6% 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: $705 in Busan versus $1,283 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 39% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $620 in Busan versus $414 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,558 in Busan versus $2,334 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 $1,558 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 50% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.