Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Busan

For one person, living is cheaper in Cheonan: $1,467 a month against $1,628 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Cheonan
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Cheonan Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Busan
Learn more

Busan Living Index

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Cheonan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,467

/mo nomad

Busan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cheonan and in Busan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cheonan and in Busan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Cheonan versus $1,628 in Busan.

Cheonan $1,467
Busan $1,628

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,259 in Cheonan versus $2,543 in Busan.

Cheonan $2,259
Busan $2,543

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,051 in Cheonan versus $3,457 in Busan.

Cheonan $3,051
Busan $3,457

Living in Cheonan costs roughly 10% less than in Busan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cheonan 9% above, Busan 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 ₩10.0K

$7.58 ₩10.1K

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.63 ₩30.1K

$49.48 ₩65.8K

-54.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₩5,693

$6.56 ₩8,717

-34.76%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₩1,951

$3.67 ₩4,882

-59.95%

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

$1.16 ₩1,538

$1.85 ₩2,459

-37.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₩1,867

$1.44 ₩1,911

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₩3,031

$3.77 ₩5,008

-39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ₩5,853

$4.28 ₩5,696

2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₩2,125

$2.36 ₩3,137

-32.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,287

$3.26 ₩4,340

-1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,078

$3.15 ₩4,193

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,476

$2.64 ₩3,509

-1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₩14.9K

$10.84 ₩14.4K

3.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₩13.8K

$10.57 ₩14.1K

-1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.11 ₩33.4K

$25.32 ₩33.7K

-0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$11.23 ₩14.9K

$11.22 ₩14.9K

0.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 ₩4,965

$3.64 ₩4,837

2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.07 ₩10.7K

$8.21 ₩10.9K

-1.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ₩8,035

$5.84 ₩7,763

3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$6.10 ₩8,106

$5.89 ₩7,831

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ₩4,438

$3.28 ₩4,357

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 ₩3,651

$2.78 ₩3,696

-1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,765

$1.28 ₩1,707

3.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,494

$3.35 ₩4,458

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.30 ₩24.3K

$18.91 ₩25.1K

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₩3,229

$2.39 ₩3,181

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,454

$3.52 ₩4,679

-4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,509

$1.14 ₩1,515

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 ₩80.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 ₩4,050

$3.58 ₩4,759

-14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,036

$0.74 ₩984

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.69 ₩22.2K

$17.18 ₩22.8K

-2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,650

$1.35 ₩1,793

-8.15%

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

$29.7K ₩39.5M

$29.1K ₩38.7M

2.23%

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

$34.2K ₩45.5M

$33.1K ₩44.0M

3.37%

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

$199 ₩264.9K

$202 ₩268.2K

-1.25%

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

$35.67 ₩47.4K

$37.03 ₩49.2K

-3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.08 ₩36.0K

$27.43 ₩36.5K

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

$63.2 ₩84.0K

-18.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ₩15.6K

$10.04 ₩13.4K

17.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 ₩16.1K

$11.93 ₩15.9K

1.68%

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

$636 ₩845.7K

$639 ₩850.3K

-0.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K ₩28.6M

$22.0K ₩29.2M

-2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₩88.0K

$103 ₩136.9K

-35.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 ₩79.1K

$64.7 ₩86.1K

-8.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 ₩123.1K

$92.8 ₩123.4K

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ₩168.9K

$129 ₩171.4K

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₩636.1K

$712 ₩946.6K

-32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₩479.5K

$374 ₩497.5K

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 ₩1.5M

$1,304 ₩1.7M

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₩982.3K

$718 ₩955.1K

2.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 ₩9.6M

$9,884 ₩13.1M

-26.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,422 ₩7.2M

$6,279 ₩8.3M

-13.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 ₩2.4M

$2,790 ₩3.7M

-34.62%

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 Cheonan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Busan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Cheonan

$480 32.8%

Busan

$488 30% 1.7% $8.2

Accommodation & Living

Cheonan

$361 24.6%

Busan

$374 23% 3.8% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cheonan

$262 17.9%

Busan

$266 16.4% 1.6% $4.2

Clothing & Footwear

Cheonan

$155 10.6%

Busan

$175 10.8% 12.8% $20

Eating Out

Cheonan

$121 8.3%

Busan

$165 10.1% 36.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Cheonan

$76 5.2%

Busan

$87 5.3% 14.7% $11

Getting Around

Cheonan

$11 * 0.8%

Busan

$73 4.5% 532% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Cheonan and $712 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 53% 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: $23.00 in Cheonan vs $49.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 vs $488 per month, with Cheonan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Cheonan

🇰🇷 Busan

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

Same time as Cheonan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

658,486

3,586,079

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Cheonan vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheonan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Busan. 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: $478 in Cheonan versus $712 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Cheonan versus $1,628 in Busan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Cheonan versus $1,628 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheonan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Cheonan 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, Cheonan and Busan 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 Cheonan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.