Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $1,742 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $2,892 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $4,043 in Seoul.

Living in Busan costs roughly 13% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 14% above, Seoul 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.7K

$8.59 ₩13.0K

-17.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩56.5K

$54.3 ₩82.2K

-31.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,288

$6.30 ₩9,550

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,295

$3.88 ₩5,886

6.96%

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

$1.86 ₩2,816

$1.72 ₩2,613

8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,094

$0.86 ₩1,296

60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,624

$3.60 ₩5,448

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,726

$5.94 ₩8,998

-3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,538

$2.22 ₩3,371

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,372

$3.45 ₩5,228

2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,590

$3.13 ₩4,749

-3.19%

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,491

$3.19 ₩4,830

-7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$14.21 ₩21.5K

-26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$10.99 ₩16.6K

-22.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$34.74 ₩52.6K

-21.42%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$7.97 ₩12.1K

6.65%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$3.46 ₩5,247

-6.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.4K

$5.43 ₩8,229

38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,062

$6.69 ₩10.1K

-20.48%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$3.80 ₩5,763

36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,461

$2.95 ₩4,465

-0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,030

$2.63 ₩3,978

-23.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,812

$1.27 ₩1,924

-5.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,969

$3.23 ₩4,893

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.4K

$19.49 ₩29.5K

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,633

$2.42 ₩3,668

-28.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$3.25 ₩4,921

6.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$1.12 ₩1,691

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩67.9K

$47.88 ₩72.6K

-6.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,301

$3.56 ₩5,396

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$0.54 ₩818

46.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.5K

$8.72 ₩13.2K

92.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,856

$1.25 ₩1,889

-1.60%

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

$27.4K ₩41.6M

$28.3K ₩42.8M

-2.91%

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

$25.0K ₩37.8M

$25.3K ₩38.4M

-1.42%

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

$190 ₩288.4K

$161 ₩243.4K

18.52%

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

$49.90 ₩75.6K

$34.38 ₩52.1K

45.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.2K

$22.41 ₩34.0K

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩78.8K

$57.0 ₩86.4K

-8.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.1K

$23.23 ₩35.2K

-43.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.1K

$11.19 ₩17.0K

1.07%

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

$497 ₩753.7K

$412 ₩624.5K

20.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$23.7K ₩35.8M

-40.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$58.7 ₩88.9K

78.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩98.3K

$46.80 ₩70.9K

38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩133.7K

$78.3 ₩118.6K

12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.6K

$114 ₩173.0K

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩756.9K

$957 ₩1.4M

-47.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩485.1K

$604 ₩914.5K

-46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$2,580 ₩3.9M

-61.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩989.5K

$1,308 ₩2.0M

-50.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩14.8M

$18.2K ₩27.5M

-46.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.7M

$9,223 ₩14.0M

-23.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.6M

$3,095 ₩4.7M

-22.21%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $957 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 29% 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 $54.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $500 per month, with Busan cheaper across the board.

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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Seoul earns 29% 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 $957 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 7% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $497 in Busan versus $412 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,523 in Busan versus $1,742 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Seoul. 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 Seoul 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 14% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.