Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Pangyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Pangyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,506 in Busan versus $1,420 in Pangyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,326 in Busan versus $2,291 in Pangyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,147 in Busan versus $3,162 in Pangyo.

Living in Busan is roughly 6% more expensive than in Pangyo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 13% above, Pangyo 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ₩10.9K

$6.96 ₩10.7K

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.46 ₩57.6K

$36.62 ₩56.3K

2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 ₩9,111

$5.52 ₩8,493

7.25%

Cappuccino

$4.09 ₩6,297

$3.94 ₩6,056

3.81%

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

$1.87 ₩2,879

$1.53 ₩2,357

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,052

$0.84 ₩1,295

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,698

$3.39 ₩5,215

9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,854

$4.81 ₩7,401

19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,636

$2.17 ₩3,341

8.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 ₩5,320

$3.01 ₩4,625

14.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,658

$2.98 ₩4,587

1.68%

Eggs

$2.88 ₩4,422

$2.87 ₩4,420

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 ₩16.4K

$10.38 ₩16.0K

2.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 ₩12.6K

$8.16 ₩12.5K

0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 ₩42.4K

$27.60 ₩42.4K

-0.04%

Apples (1kg)

$8.25 ₩12.7K

$7.84 ₩12.1K

5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩5,043

$3.20 ₩4,926

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 ₩11.7K

$5.40 ₩8,302

40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,297

$5.41 ₩8,325

-0.18%

Potato (1kg)

$5.21 ₩8,019

$3.80 ₩5,849

37.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,491

$2.93 ₩4,503

-0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,079

$2.15 ₩3,308

-6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₩1,836

$1.20 ₩1,841

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩5,218

$3.39 ₩5,206

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 ₩25.1K

$16.39 ₩25.2K

-0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₩2,662

$1.89 ₩2,910

-8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ₩5,263

$3.35 ₩5,159

2.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,736

$1.06 ₩1,635

6.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 ₩67.6K

$48.52 ₩74.6K

-9.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,555

$3.61 ₩5,547

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,237

$0.56 ₩862

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.81 ₩25.9K

$8.94 ₩13.7K

88.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,884

$1.17 ₩1,801

4.27%

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

$27.7K ₩42.6M

$27.2K ₩41.9M

1.67%

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

$25.2K ₩38.7M

$24.6K ₩37.9M

2.17%

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

$192 ₩295.1K

$163 ₩250.6K

17.77%

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

$50.9 ₩78.3K

$35.45 ₩54.5K

43.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 ₩42.5K

$22.14 ₩34.0K

24.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ₩80.9K

$48.00 ₩73.8K

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 ₩20.7K

$32.85 ₩50.5K

-59.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 ₩17.5K

$11.20 ₩17.2K

1.43%

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

$483 ₩743.2K

$420 ₩646.0K

15.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.8M

$23.5K ₩36.2M

-39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩159.8K

$58.2 ₩89.5K

78.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩101.8K

$48.01 ₩73.8K

37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 ₩137.9K

$79.9 ₩122.9K

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩183.2K

$114 ₩175.5K

4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₩796.9K

$453 ₩696.0K

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩480.7K

$381 ₩585.6K

-17.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₩1.6M

$1,057 ₩1.6M

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ₩997.0K

$773 ₩1.2M

-16.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,559 ₩14.7M

$9,570 ₩14.7M

-0.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,109 ₩10.9M

$5,279 ₩8.1M

34.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,488 ₩3.8M

$4,632 ₩7.1M

-46.29%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Pangyo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Busan and $453 in Pangyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pangyo pays 86% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Busan vs $37.00 in Pangyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 vs $426, with Pangyo 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 Pangyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pangyo wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pangyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Pangyo. 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: $518 in Busan versus $453 in Pangyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pangyo runs roughly 10% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $483 in Busan versus $420 in Pangyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,420 in Pangyo versus $1,506 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangyo but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Pangyo 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 Pangyo 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 Pangyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.