Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Shanghai

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,250 a month against $1,627 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. The total is higher in Busan despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Busan
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Busan Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
Learn more

Shanghai Living Index

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Busan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,627

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,250

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Busan and in Shanghai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Busan and in Shanghai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,627 in Busan versus $1,250 in Shanghai.

Busan $1,627
Shanghai $1,250

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Busan versus $2,019 in Shanghai.

Busan $2,557
Shanghai $2,019

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,486 in Busan versus $2,789 in Shanghai.

Busan $3,486
Shanghai $2,789

Living in Busan is roughly 30% more expensive than in Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 21% above, Shanghai is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 ₩9,741

$4.55 ¥30.45

59.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.28 ₩64.8K

$29.52 ¥198

63.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩8,684

$5.10 ¥34.13

26.86%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ₩4,899

$3.42 ¥22.92

6.73%

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

$1.77 ₩2,378

$0.61 ¥4.12

190.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩1,870

$0.36 ¥2.41

286.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₩5,149

$1.21 ¥8.08

216.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 ₩5,870

$2.29 ¥15.33

90.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ₩3,114

$1.86 ¥12.48

24.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 ₩4,383

$2.01 ¥13.47

62.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,177

$1.02 ¥6.84

204.90%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,514

$1.72 ¥11.48

52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 ₩15.0K

$17.19 ¥115

-34.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₩13.9K

$3.35 ¥22.43

209.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.03 ₩33.6K

$12.80 ¥85.7

95.55%

Apples (1kg)

$11.02 ₩14.8K

$2.17 ¥14.54

407.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,749

$1.74 ¥11.67

103.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.6K

$1.94 ¥12.99

305.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ₩7,863

$1.68 ¥11.25

248.21%

Potato (1kg)

$5.88 ₩7,901

$0.77 ¥5.18

663.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ₩4,556

$0.93 ¥6.22

264.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,665

$0.62 ¥4.17

340.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,775

$0.58 ¥3.88

127.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩4,469

$3.83 ¥25.64

-13.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 ₩24.8K

$10.94 ¥73.2

68.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,191

$0.84 ¥5.60

183.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₩4,668

$1.60 ¥10.73

117.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,592

$0.59 ¥3.92

101.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 ₩79.4K

$30.27 ¥203

95.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,839

$2.06 ¥13.79

74.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₩964

$0.47 ¥3.13

53.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 ₩22.4K

$8.80 ¥58.9

89.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,830

$1.27 ¥8.53

7.09%

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

$29.8K ₩40.1M

$19.6K ¥131.2K

52.26%

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

$33.8K ₩45.4M

$18.6K ¥124.4K

81.78%

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

$196 ₩263.8K

$57.2 ¥383

243.21%

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

$36.52 ₩49.1K

$8.06 ¥53.9

353.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 ₩36.9K

$10.52 ¥70.4

161.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ₩83.9K

$64.6 ¥433

-3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₩12.9K

$17.63 ¥118

-45.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ₩16.2K

$8.84 ¥59.1

36.20%

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

$637 ₩855.9K

$1,437 ¥9,620

-55.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K ₩29.0M

$28.1K ¥187.9K

-23.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩142.6K

$54.7 ¥366

94.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.6 ₩88.0K

$36.43 ¥244

79.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 ₩126.9K

$75.4 ¥504

25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩172.1K

$104 ¥696

23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₩985.6K

$1,039 ¥6,956

-29.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₩489.9K

$589 ¥3,940

-38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 ₩1.8M

$2,487 ¥16.6K

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ₩941.6K

$1,237 ¥8,282

-43.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₩13.4M

$13.6K ¥90.9K

-26.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,421 ₩8.6M

$6,191 ¥41.4K

3.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,841 ₩3.8M

$1,715 ¥11.5K

65.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.36

25.60%

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

Last update for Busan: October 4, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Busan

$483 30.1%

Shanghai

$237 19% 51% $246

Accommodation & Living

Busan

$365 22.7%

Shanghai

$589 47.1% 61.4% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Busan

$260 16.2%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 70.9% $185

Clothing & Footwear

Busan

$177 11.1%

Shanghai

$122 9.7% 31.4% $56

Eating Out

Busan

$162 10.1%

Shanghai

$107 8.6% 33.7% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Busan

$87 5.4%

Shanghai

$82 6.6% 4.9% $4.2

Getting Around

Busan

$71 4.4%

Shanghai

$37 3% 47.9% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $734 in Busan and $1,039 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 66% 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: $48.00 in Busan vs $30.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $237 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Busan

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

15:46 3:46 PM

14:46 2:46 PM

1 h behind Busan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,586,079

24,870,895

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1 CNY = 0.149 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Busan Shanghai 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Busan
Shanghai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shanghai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Busan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $734 in Busan versus $1,039 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shanghai runs roughly 95% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $637 in Busan versus $1,437 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,250 in Shanghai versus $1,627 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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 Shanghai 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 Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.