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: $2,134 in Cincinnati, OH versus $1,523 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,308 in Cincinnati, OH versus $2,336 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,482 in Cincinnati, OH versus $3,148 in Busan.

Living in Cincinnati, OH is roughly 40% more expensive than in Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cincinnati, OH 60% above, Busan 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.10 $15.10

$7.13 ₩10.6K

111.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$37.25 ₩55.4K

59.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.93 ₩8,828

32.38%

Cappuccino

$4.45 $4.45

$4.08 ₩6,067

9.07%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$1.86 ₩2,770

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.34 ₩1,991

61.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.72 ₩5,534

31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.94 ₩8,837

15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.25 ₩3,344

-65.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.43 ₩5,106

-6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.01 ₩4,473

29.57%

Eggs

$3.27 $3.27

$2.86 ₩4,253

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$10.43 ₩15.5K

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$8.34 ₩12.4K

16.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$27.01 ₩40.2K

-43.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$8.58 ₩12.8K

-46.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.12 ₩4,642

-55.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$7.30 ₩10.9K

-46.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$5.12 ₩7,614

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$5.10 ₩7,589

-59.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.04 ₩4,524

0.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.01 ₩2,996

-12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.21 ₩1,803

16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.73 $8.73

$3.39 ₩5,038

157.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$16.85 ₩25.1K

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.69 ₩2,507

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.35 ₩4,979

-46.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.17 ₩1,743

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 $78.8

$44.13 ₩65.6K

78.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.46 ₩5,153

9.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.85 ₩1,261

48.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.27 $25.27

$16.39 ₩24.4K

54.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.16 ₩1,729

-30.17%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$27.3K ₩40.6M

30.41%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.5K ₩37.9M

-0.41%

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

$122 $122

$190 ₩282.8K

-35.74%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$49.69 ₩73.9K

14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 $57.0

$27.38 ₩40.7K

108.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.35 $30.35

$52.8 ₩78.5K

-42.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.88 $8.88

$13.16 ₩19.6K

-32.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 $13.70

$11.43 ₩17.0K

19.86%

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

$1,568 $1,568

$484 ₩720.4K

223.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K $17.4K

$14.0K ₩20.8M

24.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.54 $41.54

$105 ₩155.7K

-60.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$67.4 ₩100.2K

-41.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 $89.4

$87.7 ₩130.4K

1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$116 ₩172.5K

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 $1,482

$510 ₩758.0K

190.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 $1,050

$323 ₩480.2K

225.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$1,010 ₩1.5M

180.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 $1,988

$655 ₩973.7K

203.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,765 $3,765

$9,773 ₩14.5M

-61.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,208 $2,208

$7,105 ₩10.6M

-68.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,109 $4,109

$2,545 ₩3.8M

61.42%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Busan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,482 in Cincinnati, OH and $510 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cincinnati, OH pays 61% 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 $344 vs $443, 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 40% 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.

Average pay runs 61% higher in Cincinnati, OH, 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: $1,482 in Cincinnati, OH versus $510 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 79% less than in Cincinnati, OH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,568 in Cincinnati, OH versus $484 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 $2,134 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 40% less than in Cincinnati, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.