Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Songdo-dong Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Songdo-dong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $1,414 in Songdo-dong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $2,243 in Songdo-dong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $3,072 in Songdo-dong.

Living in Busan is roughly 8% more expensive than Songdo-dong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 14% above, Songdo-dong 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.7K

$7.20 ₩10.9K

-1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩56.5K

$55.2 ₩83.6K

-32.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,288

$6.38 ₩9,670

-3.92%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,295

$3.59 ₩5,441

15.60%

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

$1.86 ₩2,816

$1.07 ₩1,626

73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,094

$0.71 ₩1,079

94.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,624

$3.00 ₩4,548

23.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,726

$5.91 ₩8,951

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,538

$2.14 ₩3,237

8.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,372

$3.33 ₩5,053

6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,590

$3.21 ₩4,863

-5.61%

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,491

$3.15 ₩4,778

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$14.54 ₩22.0K

-28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$8.23 ₩12.5K

2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$34.73 ₩52.6K

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$3.69 ₩5,593

130.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$3.02 ₩4,576

7.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.4K

$5.67 ₩8,595

32.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,062

$6.44 ₩9,755

-17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$2.55 ₩3,862

102.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,461

$2.60 ₩3,934

13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,030

$2.51 ₩3,801

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,812

$1.19 ₩1,805

0.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,969

$3.25 ₩4,917

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.4K

$13.11 ₩19.9K

27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,633

$2.18 ₩3,309

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$3.38 ₩5,119

2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$0.84 ₩1,271

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩67.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,301

$3.63 ₩5,493

-3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$0.53 ₩801

49.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.5K

$8.60 ₩13.0K

95.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,856

$1.21 ₩1,826

1.65%

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

$27.4K ₩41.6M

$27.9K ₩42.2M

-1.55%

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

$25.0K ₩37.8M

$25.1K ₩38.0M

-0.47%

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

$190 ₩288.4K

$162 ₩245.4K

17.54%

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

$49.90 ₩75.6K

$35.26 ₩53.4K

41.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.2K

$22.56 ₩34.2K

20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩78.8K

$73.6 ₩111.5K

-29.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.1K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

3.95%

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

$497 ₩753.7K

$367 ₩556.2K

35.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$23.8K ₩36.1M

-40.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$60.0 ₩90.9K

74.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩98.3K

$48.09 ₩72.9K

34.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩133.7K

$37.28 ₩56.5K

136.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.6K

$114 ₩172.8K

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩756.9K

$449 ₩680.7K

11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩485.1K

$376 ₩569.5K

-14.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$1,087 ₩1.6M

-7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩989.5K

$770 ₩1.2M

-15.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩14.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.6M

$3,027 ₩4.6M

-20.47%

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 Songdo-dong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $449 in Songdo-dong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songdo-dong pays 26% 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 $55.0 in Songdo-dong. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $442, with Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Songdo-dong wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Songdo-dong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Songdo-dong earns 26% 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 $449 in Songdo-dong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,523 per month in Busan versus $1,414 in Songdo-dong – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,414 in Songdo-dong versus $1,523 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Songdo-dong but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.