Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Uijeongbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Uijeongbu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,494 in Busan versus $1,275 in Uijeongbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Busan versus $2,050 in Uijeongbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,171 in Busan versus $2,826 in Uijeongbu.

Living in Busan is roughly 17% more expensive than Uijeongbu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 11% above, Uijeongbu is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩11.1K

$5.72 ₩8,690

28.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.36 ₩56.8K

$55.8 ₩84.9K

-33.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩9,015

$5.71 ₩8,686

3.85%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ₩6,078

$3.28 ₩4,984

21.95%

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

$1.88 ₩2,856

$1.08 ₩1,647

74.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,023

$0.78 ₩1,194

70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩5,527

$2.22 ₩3,369

63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 ₩9,005

$2.87 ₩4,358

106.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,579

$2.22 ₩3,380

5.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,434

$3.34 ₩5,077

6.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,772

$3.25 ₩4,936

-3.38%

Eggs

$2.86 ₩4,350

$3.11 ₩4,727

-8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₩16.1K

$14.30 ₩21.7K

-26.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 ₩12.8K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

-22.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.75 ₩42.2K

$33.94 ₩51.6K

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$8.37 ₩12.7K

$7.87 ₩12.0K

6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,904

$3.62 ₩5,506

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.55 ₩11.5K

$5.52 ₩8,390

36.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ₩8,017

$6.43 ₩9,777

-18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,748

$4.01 ₩6,101

27.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,638

$2.88 ₩4,374

5.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,097

$2.55 ₩3,871

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,829

$1.16 ₩1,761

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩5,015

$3.22 ₩4,902

2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₩24.5K

$16.07 ₩24.4K

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,692

$2.33 ₩3,549

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩5,062

$3.22 ₩4,890

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,716

$1.06 ₩1,619

6.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩66.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,320

$3.62 ₩5,505

-3.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,282

$0.54 ₩818

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩25.1K

$8.72 ₩13.3K

89.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,758

$1.21 ₩1,838

-4.13%

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

$28.0K ₩42.5M

$27.8K ₩42.3M

0.50%

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

$25.3K ₩38.5M

$25.4K ₩38.6M

-0.25%

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

$186 ₩283.1K

$144 ₩219.5K

28.94%

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

$50.8 ₩77.2K

$34.23 ₩52.0K

48.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₩42.5K

$22.55 ₩34.3K

23.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ₩79.7K

$47.22 ₩71.8K

11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 ₩17.0K

$11.11 ₩16.9K

0.54%

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

$489 ₩743.9K

$416 ₩633.2K

17.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.8M

$23.4K ₩35.6M

-38.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩155.9K

$58.6 ₩89.1K

74.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 ₩99.2K

$47.01 ₩71.5K

38.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₩131.6K

$80.0 ₩121.7K

8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.5K

$117 ₩177.5K

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩760.7K

$255 ₩387.1K

96.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₩492.4K

$222 ₩337.1K

46.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₩1.5M

$472 ₩717.5K

110.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₩1.0M

$401 ₩609.7K

67.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,714 ₩14.8M

$9,671 ₩14.7M

0.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 ₩10.6M

$5,178 ₩7.9M

34.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,396 ₩3.6M

$1,993 ₩3.0M

20.24%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Uijeongbu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $255 in Uijeongbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 20% 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 $56.0 in Uijeongbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $488 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 Uijeongbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Uijeongbu wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Uijeongbu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Busan pays 20% more on average, 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: $500 in Busan versus $255 in Uijeongbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Busan pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,494 per month in Busan versus $1,275 in Uijeongbu – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,275 in Uijeongbu versus $1,494 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Uijeongbu but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Uijeongbu 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 Uijeongbu 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 Uijeongbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.