Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Yongin

For one person, living is cheaper in Yongin: $1,044 a month against $1,842 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Busan, South Korea
Yongin, South Korea
Busan
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,842
/mo nomad
Yongin
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,044
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Busan and in Yongin

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 Yongin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,842 in Busan versus $1,044 in Yongin.

  • Busan $1,842
  • Yongin $1,044

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,019 in Busan versus $1,585 in Yongin.

  • Busan $3,019
  • Yongin $1,585

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,196 in Busan versus $2,126 in Yongin.

  • Busan $4,196
  • Yongin $2,126

Living in Busan is roughly 76% more expensive than in Yongin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 35% above, Yongin is 23% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.69 ₩10.3K
$6.17 ₩8,244
24.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.41 ₩66.0K
$26.36 ₩35.2K
87.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.63 ₩8,856
$6.70 ₩8,952
-1.04%
Cappuccino
$3.68 ₩4,912
$3.62 ₩4,839
1.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 ₩2,479
$1.56 ₩2,078
19.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 ₩1,861
$0.63 ₩848
120.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.73 ₩4,986
$3.52 ₩4,699
5.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 ₩5,886
$4.41 ₩5,888
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ₩3,016
$1.16 ₩1,549
94.83%
White Bread (500g)
$3.25 ₩4,340
$3.18 ₩4,241
2.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.11 ₩4,149
$2.28 ₩3,041
36.40%
Eggs
$2.67 ₩3,562
$2.38 ₩3,177
12.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.14 ₩14.9K
$16.08 ₩21.5K
-30.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.70 ₩14.3K
$8.14 ₩10.9K
31.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.98 ₩33.4K
$11.27 ₩15.0K
121.65%
Apples (1kg)
$11.16 ₩14.9K
$7.89 ₩10.5K
41.44%
Banana (1kg)
$3.59 ₩4,794
$3.20 ₩4,271
12.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.17 ₩10.9K
$7.37 ₩9,842
10.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.11 ₩8,153
$7.12 ₩9,505
-14.19%
Potato (1kg)
$6.20 ₩8,277
$3.59 ₩4,796
72.70%
Onion (1kg)
$3.33 ₩4,440
$2.39 ₩3,197
39.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.88 ₩3,848
$2.06 ₩2,750
39.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₩1,722
$1.49 ₩1,995
-13.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.46 ₩4,617
$3.35 ₩4,468
3.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.56 ₩24.8K
$18.84 ₩25.2K
-1.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 ₩3,230
$2.29 ₩3,054
5.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 ₩4,799
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Busan
Yongin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.15 ₩1,529
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.6 ₩94.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.55 ₩4,742
$3.77 ₩5,029
-5.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.73 ₩981
$0.62 ₩833
17.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.97 ₩22.7K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ₩1,892
$1.37 ₩1,833
3.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9K ₩53.3M
$29.9K ₩40.0M
33.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ₩45.3M
$36.2K ₩48.3M
-6.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 ₩274.7K
$214 ₩285.8K
-3.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.67 ₩49.0K
$43.25 ₩57.7K
-15.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.39 ₩36.6K
$21.16 ₩28.3K
29.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 ₩68.9K
$52.2 ₩69.7K
-1.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.15 ₩13.6K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.88 ₩15.9K
$11.15 ₩14.9K
6.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$638 ₩852.1K
$298 ₩398.4K
113.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K ₩29.7M
$17.8K ₩23.7M
25.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₩139.3K
$65.4 ₩87.3K
59.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.1 ₩86.9K
$63.2 ₩84.3K
3.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.8 ₩123.9K
$74.4 ₩99.3K
24.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₩173.6K
$100 ₩134.0K
29.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Busan
Yongin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 ₩995.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$583 ₩778.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,151 ₩2.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,450 ₩1.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,485 ₩11.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,272 ₩4.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Busan
Yongin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,826 ₩3.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
4.1
2.93%

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

Last update for Busan: October 27, 2026

Last update for Yongin: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Busan
$583
Yongin
–
Groceries & Markets
Busan
$489
Yongin
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busan
$270
Yongin
–
Clothing & Footwear
Busan
$177
Yongin
–
Eating Out
Busan
$166
Yongin
–
Getting Around
Busan
$82
Yongin
–
Sport & Entertainment
Busan
$75
Yongin
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $49 in Busan vs $26 in Yongin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $399 per month, with Yongin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Busan
🇰🇷 Yongin
🕒 Local time
10:02 10:02 AM
10:02 10:02 AM
Same time as Busan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,586,079
1,004,081
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,335 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD). 1 EUR = 1,491 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Busan Yongin 290 km
From you
  • Busan
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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 Yongin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Busan or Yongin?
Yongin wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Yongin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Busan and in Yongin?
You’d need roughly $2,763 in Busan and $1,566 in Yongin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Are groceries more expensive in Busan or in Yongin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Busan compared to Yongin?
All in, you’ll spend $1,842 per month in Busan versus $1,044 in Yongin – Yongin is about 43% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Busan or in Yongin?
At $1,044 in Yongin versus $1,842 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yongin but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Yongin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How safe is Busan compared to Yongin?
Safety-wise, Busan and Yongin are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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