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: $1,513 in Busan versus $1,240 in Uijeongbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Busan versus $2,011 in Uijeongbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,138 in Busan versus $2,782 in Uijeongbu.

Living in Busan is roughly 22% more expensive than Uijeongbu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 13% above, Uijeongbu is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 ₩10.4K

$5.80 ₩8,580

21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 ₩54.1K

$54.2 ₩80.2K

-32.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ₩9,005

$5.79 ₩8,556

5.18%

Cappuccino

$4.14 ₩6,125

$3.34 ₩4,933

23.95%

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

$1.86 ₩2,754

$1.13 ₩1,669

64.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₩2,070

$0.85 ₩1,253

64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,358

$2.22 ₩3,277

63.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 ₩8,499

$2.90 ₩4,282

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,478

$2.24 ₩3,313

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₩5,320

$3.49 ₩5,159

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,397

$3.21 ₩4,742

-7.48%

Eggs

$2.93 ₩4,327

$3.18 ₩4,706

-7.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ₩15.8K

$14.52 ₩21.5K

-26.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 ₩12.2K

$10.79 ₩15.9K

-23.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.17 ₩40.2K

$34.37 ₩50.8K

-20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$8.48 ₩12.5K

$7.79 ₩11.5K

8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,843

$3.43 ₩5,077

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.43 ₩11.0K

$5.65 ₩8,355

31.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 ₩7,627

$6.53 ₩9,651

-20.98%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,642

$3.99 ₩5,894

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,280

$2.98 ₩4,400

-3.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,123

$2.63 ₩3,894

-19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,774

$1.15 ₩1,706

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,801

$3.40 ₩5,034

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₩24.8K

$15.16 ₩22.4K

10.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,567

$2.36 ₩3,484

-26.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,881

$3.39 ₩5,007

-2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,653

$1.11 ₩1,643

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.46 ₩65.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩5,315

$3.55 ₩5,241

1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,268

$0.53 ₩776

62.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.70 ₩24.7K

$8.69 ₩12.9K

92.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,801

$1.25 ₩1,851

-2.40%

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

$28.0K ₩41.4M

$27.9K ₩41.3M

0.42%

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

$25.4K ₩37.6M

$24.6K ₩36.4M

3.26%

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

$189 ₩279.3K

$145 ₩214.8K

30.03%

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

$50.7 ₩74.9K

$34.88 ₩51.6K

45.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₩41.0K

$22.29 ₩33.0K

24.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₩78.8K

$47.72 ₩70.5K

11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.26 ₩19.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 ₩17.1K

$10.93 ₩16.2K

5.86%

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

$498 ₩735.7K

$407 ₩602.3K

22.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.7M

$23.3K ₩34.4M

-39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩154.3K

$59.3 ₩87.7K

76.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ₩98.7K

$47.72 ₩70.6K

39.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 ₩131.2K

$80.9 ₩119.5K

9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩172.4K

$116 ₩171.9K

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₩758.5K

$254 ₩376.0K

101.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₩474.9K

$224 ₩331.8K

43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₩1.5M

$479 ₩708.8K

110.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₩985.2K

$399 ₩589.8K

67.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,538 ₩14.1M

$8,304 ₩12.3M

14.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,941 ₩10.3M

$5,354 ₩7.9M

29.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,511 ₩3.7M

$2,005 ₩3.0M

25.22%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Uijeongbu: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Busan and $254 in Uijeongbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 25% 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 in Busan vs $54 in Uijeongbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $489 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 22% 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 25% 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: $513 in Busan versus $254 in Uijeongbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Busan pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,513 per month in Busan versus $1,240 in Uijeongbu – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,240 in Uijeongbu versus $1,513 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 22% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.