Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,541 in Daegu versus $1,558 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,321 in Daegu versus $2,474 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,102 in Daegu versus $3,389 in Busan.

Living in Daegu costs roughly 1% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Daegu 12% above, Busan 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ₩12.7K

$7.46 ₩10.1K

25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.70 ₩49.9K

$47.19 ₩64.1K

-22.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₩7,490

$6.64 ₩9,022

-17.02%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,280

$3.69 ₩5,020

5.15%

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

$1.61 ₩2,183

$1.83 ₩2,483

-12.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$1.37 ₩1,869

-39.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ₩4,839

$3.75 ₩5,098

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 ₩7,143

$4.09 ₩5,553

28.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,199

$2.24 ₩3,040

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 ₩6,063

$3.05 ₩4,143

46.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,553

$3.10 ₩4,214

-15.81%

Eggs

$2.79 ₩3,789

$2.55 ₩3,471

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₩13.1K

$10.71 ₩14.6K

-9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ₩9,434

$10.37 ₩14.1K

-33.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.85 ₩28.3K

$24.66 ₩33.5K

-15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$6.39 ₩8,693

$10.92 ₩14.8K

-41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 ₩3,679

$3.49 ₩4,746

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 ₩7,473

$7.82 ₩10.6K

-29.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 ₩7,572

$5.68 ₩7,723

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,475

$5.95 ₩8,093

-56.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 ₩2,819

$3.33 ₩4,531

-37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.25 ₩5,778

$2.72 ₩3,698

56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₩1,758

$1.32 ₩1,791

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₩4,022

$3.23 ₩4,391

-8.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 ₩19.8K

$18.58 ₩25.3K

-21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₩2,850

$2.38 ₩3,229

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,242

$3.40 ₩4,628

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,515

$1.12 ₩1,522

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 ₩97.5K

$57.5 ₩78.2K

24.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 ₩4,172

$3.57 ₩4,848

-14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩764

$0.76 ₩1,029

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 ₩10.8K

$16.31 ₩22.2K

-51.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₩1,772

$1.36 ₩1,855

-4.41%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

$28.4K ₩38.7M

-1.19%

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

$40.6K ₩55.3M

$32.5K ₩44.1M

25.19%

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

$264 ₩359.2K

$195 ₩264.5K

35.82%

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

$48.58 ₩66.0K

$35.82 ₩48.7K

35.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.90 ₩54.2K

$26.31 ₩35.8K

51.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.43 ₩67.2K

$60.5 ₩82.2K

-18.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 ₩16.1K

$9.48 ₩12.9K

25.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩14.9K

$11.48 ₩15.6K

-4.27%

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

$510 ₩692.7K

$620 ₩842.4K

-17.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₩37.5M

$21.1K ₩28.7M

30.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₩73.3K

$104 ₩141.2K

-48.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ₩68.2K

$63.5 ₩86.3K

-20.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ₩127.7K

$91.6 ₩124.6K

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 ₩219.3K

$122 ₩165.9K

32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩546.7K

$705 ₩959.0K

-42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₩362.6K

$351 ₩477.5K

-24.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 ₩1.4M

$1,314 ₩1.8M

-22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₩815.9K

$689 ₩937.0K

-12.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,006 ₩9.5M

$10.0K ₩13.6M

-30.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,543 ₩7.5M

$6,273 ₩8.5M

-11.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,423 ₩3.3M

$2,791 ₩3.8M

-13.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.07

4.22

20.14%

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

Last update for Daegu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Busan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Daegu and $705 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 15% 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: $37.00 in Daegu vs $47.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $476 per month, with Daegu cheaper across the board.

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

Daegu vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daegu wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Daegu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $402 in Daegu versus $705 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Daegu runs roughly 25% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $510 in Daegu versus $620 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,541 in Daegu versus $1,558 in Busan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Daegu but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Daegu 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, Daegu 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 Daegu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.