Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Pangyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Pangyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,503 in Changwon versus $1,467 in Pangyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Changwon versus $2,261 in Pangyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,122 in Changwon versus $3,056 in Pangyo.

Living in Changwon is roughly 2% more expensive than in Pangyo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Changwon 13% above, Pangyo 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 ₩10.4K

$7.02 ₩10.1K

2.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.95 ₩40.2K

$36.12 ₩51.9K

-22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ₩7,544

$5.50 ₩7,914

-4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩5,191

$3.91 ₩5,630

-7.67%

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

$1.88 ₩2,706

$1.55 ₩2,225

21.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₩1,414

$0.78 ₩1,129

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₩4,198

$3.36 ₩4,836

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,242

$4.99 ₩7,181

-13.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₩3,363

$2.24 ₩3,220

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 ₩5,119

$3.11 ₩4,468

14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,482

$3.08 ₩4,432

1.30%

Eggs

$2.92 ₩4,193

$2.88 ₩4,140

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₩14.8K

$10.52 ₩15.1K

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩11.7K

$8.33 ₩12.0K

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.16 ₩39.1K

$27.01 ₩38.8K

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$8.66 ₩12.4K

$8.08 ₩11.6K

7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,527

$3.23 ₩4,649

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.26 ₩10.4K

$5.69 ₩8,190

27.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,340

$5.28 ₩7,600

-3.41%

Potato (1kg)

$5.01 ₩7,199

$3.86 ₩5,552

29.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ₩4,184

$2.83 ₩4,073

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩2,932

$2.19 ₩3,149

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,747

$1.15 ₩1,656

5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₩4,704

$3.35 ₩4,812

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 ₩24.6K

$16.83 ₩24.2K

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,412

$1.89 ₩2,721

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,024

$3.36 ₩4,834

3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,520

$1.07 ₩1,541

-0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.57 ₩68.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₩3,866

$3.48 ₩5,011

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,153

$0.56 ₩809

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 ₩24.0K

$8.59 ₩12.3K

93.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,689

$1.21 ₩1,744

-3.31%

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

$27.6K ₩39.6M

$28.3K ₩40.7M

-2.50%

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

$25.3K ₩36.4M

$25.1K ₩36.1M

0.78%

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

$193 ₩276.9K

$166 ₩238.4K

16.16%

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

$51.0 ₩73.3K

$35.13 ₩50.5K

45.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩39.1K

$22.11 ₩31.8K

23.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ₩75.2K

$48.48 ₩69.7K

7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.18 ₩47.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 ₩16.5K

$11.20 ₩16.1K

2.23%

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

$490 ₩704.7K

$413 ₩593.5K

18.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩20.4M

$23.0K ₩33.1M

-38.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩148.7K

$58.3 ₩83.9K

77.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 ₩67.7K

$47.87 ₩68.8K

-1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 ₩126.2K

$81.1 ₩116.6K

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩170.9K

$116 ₩166.8K

2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩657.9K

$448 ₩643.6K

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₩542.3K

$371 ₩533.0K

1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₩1.5M

$1,045 ₩1.5M

1.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₩1.1M

$762 ₩1.1M

1.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,171 ₩10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,115 ₩7.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,541 ₩2.2M

$4,873 ₩7.0M

-68.38%

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 Changwon: July 28, 2026

Last update for Pangyo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $457 in Changwon and $448 in Pangyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pangyo pays 216% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Changwon vs $36.00 in Pangyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $430, with Pangyo 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

Changwon vs Pangyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Pangyo differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,503 vs $1,467 including rent). Pangyo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 216% lower in Pangyo. 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: $457 in Changwon versus $448 in Pangyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,503 per month in Changwon versus $1,467 in Pangyo – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Pangyo versus $1,503 in Changwon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangyo but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Pangyo 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, Changwon and Pangyo 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 Pangyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.