Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Seongnam Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Seongnam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in Busan versus $1,640 in Seongnam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Busan versus $2,448 in Seongnam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Busan versus $3,256 in Seongnam.

Living in Busan costs roughly 9% less than in Seongnam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Seongnam 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.9K

$6.04 ₩8,956

21.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.93 ₩54.8K

$42.21 ₩62.6K

-12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,905

$4.44 ₩6,591

35.14%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,057

$3.76 ₩5,580

8.51%

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

$1.82 ₩2,706

$1.55 ₩2,293

17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,968

$0.79 ₩1,177

68.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,491

$2.50 ₩3,712

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩8,584

$3.72 ₩5,525

55.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,320

$2.14 ₩3,167

4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 ₩5,191

$2.12 ₩3,145

65.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,394

$3.22 ₩4,781

-8.07%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,407

$3.07 ₩4,557

-3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$8.96 ₩13.3K

15.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 ₩12.5K

$7.78 ₩11.5K

8.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 ₩41.6K

$33.70 ₩50.0K

-16.71%

Apples (1kg)

$8.29 ₩12.3K

$7.92 ₩11.7K

4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,800

$3.47 ₩5,140

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$5.67 ₩8,417

28.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,711

$6.40 ₩9,492

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,492

$3.52 ₩5,225

43.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,498

$2.88 ₩4,279

5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,003

$2.55 ₩3,786

-20.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,711

$0.94 ₩1,392

22.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,879

$3.38 ₩5,009

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$16.64 ₩24.7K

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,514

$1.79 ₩2,662

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,178

$1.88 ₩2,785

85.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,650

$1.04 ₩1,550

6.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,121

$3.50 ₩5,199

-1.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.57 ₩852

38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩24.6K

$8.72 ₩12.9K

90.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,739

$1.24 ₩1,837

-5.65%

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

$27.5K ₩40.7M

$27.8K ₩41.3M

-1.30%

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

$24.7K ₩36.6M

$25.1K ₩37.2M

-1.75%

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

$187 ₩277.1K

$163 ₩241.1K

14.93%

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

$49.90 ₩74.0K

$34.58 ₩51.3K

44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩40.3K

$22.44 ₩33.3K

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩77.9K

$48.10 ₩71.3K

9.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ₩17.1K

$10.95 ₩16.2K

5.21%

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

$496 ₩736.3K

$411 ₩609.8K

20.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.6M

$23.6K ₩35.1M

-41.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩152.4K

$59.5 ₩88.3K

72.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩98.2K

$47.41 ₩70.3K

39.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₩132.1K

$79.3 ₩117.6K

12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩176.1K

$117 ₩173.1K

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩766.1K

$449 ₩666.6K

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩465.0K

$654 ₩970.5K

-52.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₩1.5M

$1,075 ₩1.6M

-4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₩993.4K

$1,047 ₩1.6M

-36.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,547 ₩14.2M

$12.2K ₩18.2M

-22.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,094 ₩10.5M

$5,803 ₩8.6M

22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,452 ₩3.6M

$3,453 ₩5.1M

-28.97%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Busan and $449 in Seongnam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seongnam pays 41% 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 $42.00 in Seongnam. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $433, with Seongnam 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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan and Seongnam differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,491 vs $1,640 including rent). Busan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Seongnam earns 41% 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: $516 in Busan versus $449 in Seongnam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Seongnam pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,491 per month in Busan versus $1,640 in Seongnam – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,491 in Busan versus $1,640 in Seongnam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Seongnam. The gap between the two cities makes Busan 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 Seongnam 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 10% less than in Seongnam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.