Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,125 in Cincinnati, OH versus $1,523 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,297 in Cincinnati, OH versus $2,376 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,470 in Cincinnati, OH versus $3,228 in Busan.

Living in Cincinnati, OH is roughly 39% more expensive than Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cincinnati, OH 59% above, Busan 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 $14.90

$7.07 ₩10.8K

110.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$37.26 ₩57.1K

58.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 $8.15

$6.13 ₩9,392

32.95%

Cappuccino

$4.47 $4.47

$4.15 ₩6,365

7.71%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.86 ₩2,847

19.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.38 ₩2,117

55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.71 ₩5,687

32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$5.76 ₩8,824

20.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.33 ₩3,577

-64.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.55 ₩5,432

-6.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.03 ₩4,641

27.72%

Eggs

$3.25 $3.25

$2.96 ₩4,541

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$10.38 ₩15.9K

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 $9.58

$8.47 ₩13.0K

13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$27.30 ₩41.8K

-43.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$8.50 ₩13.0K

-44.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$3.25 ₩4,979

-55.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$7.53 ₩11.5K

-47.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.32 ₩8,152

-4.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$5.17 ₩7,926

-59.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.94 ₩4,511

3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.00 ₩3,064

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.20 ₩1,832

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.92 $8.92

$3.28 ₩5,024

171.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$16.73 ₩25.6K

-10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.74 ₩2,663

14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.46 ₩5,307

-49.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.11 ₩1,702

83.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 $79.6

$44.83 ₩68.7K

77.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.50 ₩5,360

5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.79 ₩1,208

53.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.64 $24.64

$16.82 ₩25.8K

46.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.23 ₩1,877

-27.64%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$27.4K ₩42.0M

28.10%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.0K ₩38.3M

-0.97%

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

$119 $119

$190 ₩291.6K

-37.33%

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

$56.9 $56.9

$49.90 ₩76.5K

14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 $57.0

$27.21 ₩41.7K

109.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 $30.32

$52.0 ₩79.7K

-41.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 $8.50

$13.24 ₩20.3K

-35.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$11.31 ₩17.3K

23.43%

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

$1,595 $1,595

$497 ₩762.1K

220.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K $17.1K

$14.2K ₩21.7M

20.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.05 $41.05

$105 ₩160.2K

-60.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 $39.57

$64.9 ₩99.4K

-39.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 $90.2

$88.2 ₩135.2K

2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 $99.2

$118 ₩180.6K

-15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$500 ₩765.3K

195.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 $1,055

$320 ₩490.5K

229.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 $2,899

$1,006 ₩1.5M

188.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$653 ₩1.0M

200.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,481 $3,481

$9,780 ₩15.0M

-64.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,073 $2,073

$7,054 ₩10.8M

-70.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,055 $4,055

$2,407 ₩3.7M

68.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

4.22

54.98%

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

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: June 1, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,476 in Cincinnati, OH and $500 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cincinnati, OH pays 68% 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: $59.0 in Cincinnati, OH vs $37.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $450, with Cincinnati, OH 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

Cincinnati, OH vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Cincinnati, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cincinnati, OH pays 68% 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: $1,476 in Cincinnati, OH versus $500 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 78% less than in Cincinnati, OH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,595 in Cincinnati, OH versus $497 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,523 in Busan versus $2,125 in Cincinnati, OH, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Cincinnati, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Busan 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, Cincinnati, OH 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 Busan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Cincinnati, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.