Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Yangsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Yangsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in Busan versus $1,490 in Yangsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Busan versus $2,358 in Yangsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Busan versus $3,227 in Yangsan.

Monthly costs are close between Busan and Yangsan; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Yangsan 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.9K

$7.24 ₩10.7K

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.93 ₩54.8K

$36.42 ₩54.0K

1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,905

$6.11 ₩9,061

-1.80%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,057

$4.02 ₩5,964

1.49%

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

$1.82 ₩2,706

$1.79 ₩2,661

1.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,968

$1.32 ₩1,960

0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,491

$3.74 ₩5,545

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩8,584

$5.84 ₩8,663

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,320

$2.24 ₩3,326

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 ₩5,191

$3.55 ₩5,266

-1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,394

$3.08 ₩4,571

-3.90%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,407

$2.92 ₩4,334

1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$10.59 ₩15.7K

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 ₩12.5K

$8.27 ₩12.3K

2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 ₩41.6K

$27.14 ₩40.3K

3.43%

Apples (1kg)

$8.29 ₩12.3K

$8.28 ₩12.3K

0.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,800

$3.17 ₩4,697

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$7.55 ₩11.2K

-3.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,711

$5.15 ₩7,635

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,492

$5.05 ₩7,491

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,498

$3.04 ₩4,508

-0.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,003

$2.00 ₩2,972

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,711

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,879

$3.32 ₩4,925

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$16.81 ₩24.9K

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,514

$1.68 ₩2,487

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,178

$3.38 ₩5,020

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,650

$1.07 ₩1,592

3.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,121

$3.57 ₩5,303

-3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.78 ₩1,163

1.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩24.6K

$16.50 ₩24.5K

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,739

$1.20 ₩1,783

-2.50%

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

$27.5K ₩40.7M

$28.1K ₩41.6M

-2.15%

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

$24.7K ₩36.6M

$25.1K ₩37.2M

-1.76%

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

$187 ₩277.1K

$190 ₩282.3K

-1.84%

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

$49.90 ₩74.0K

$50.6 ₩75.0K

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩40.3K

$27.49 ₩40.8K

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩77.9K

$47.41 ₩70.3K

10.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ₩17.1K

$11.51 ₩17.1K

0.09%

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

$496 ₩736.3K

$488 ₩724.2K

1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.6M

$14.4K ₩21.3M

-3.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩152.4K

$102 ₩150.9K

0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩98.2K

$46.75 ₩69.3K

41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₩132.1K

$86.5 ₩128.3K

3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩176.1K

$120 ₩177.3K

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩766.1K

$449 ₩665.4K

15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩465.0K

$377 ₩559.4K

-16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₩1.5M

$1,078 ₩1.6M

-5.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₩993.4K

$757 ₩1.1M

-11.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,547 ₩14.2M

$9,258 ₩13.7M

3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,094 ₩10.5M

$5,178 ₩7.7M

36.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,452 ₩3.6M

$1,470 ₩2.2M

66.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Yangsan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Busan and $449 in Yangsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 67% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Busan vs $36.00 in Yangsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $445 per month, with Yangsan 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 Yangsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan pays 67% 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: $516 in Busan versus $449 in Yangsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Yangsan – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $37.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,490 in Yangsan versus $1,491 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yangsan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Yangsan 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 Yangsan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Yangsan wins on affordability, Busan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.