Cost of Living Comparison Between Daejeon and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Daejeon and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Daejeon versus $1,491 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,055 in Daejeon versus $2,362 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,792 in Daejeon versus $3,234 in Busan.

Living in Daejeon costs roughly 12% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Daejeon is 2% below, Busan is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ₩10.5K

$7.32 ₩10.9K

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.85 ₩54.7K

$36.93 ₩54.8K

-0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₩8,170

$6.00 ₩8,905

-8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,560

$4.08 ₩6,057

-8.09%

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

$1.51 ₩2,238

$1.82 ₩2,706

-17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,209

$1.33 ₩1,968

-39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₩4,880

$3.70 ₩5,491

-11.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 ₩7,666

$5.79 ₩8,584

-10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,196

$2.24 ₩3,320

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 ₩3,882

$3.50 ₩5,191

-25.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 ₩3,882

$2.96 ₩4,394

-11.49%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,912

$2.97 ₩4,407

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ₩11.6K

$8.45 ₩12.5K

-7.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 ₩30.1K

$28.07 ₩41.6K

-27.68%

Apples (1kg)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$8.29 ₩12.3K

3.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,823

$3.24 ₩4,800

0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 ₩8,124

$7.28 ₩10.8K

-24.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,593

$5.20 ₩7,711

-1.54%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,644

$5.05 ₩7,492

1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₩3,944

$3.03 ₩4,498

-12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,973

$2.02 ₩3,003

-0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₩1,685

$1.15 ₩1,711

-0.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,977

$3.29 ₩4,879

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.01 ₩25.2K

$16.69 ₩24.8K

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,600

$1.69 ₩2,514

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,978

$3.49 ₩5,178

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,612

$1.11 ₩1,650

-1.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.89 ₩16.2K

$43.63 ₩64.7K

-75.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,032

$3.45 ₩5,121

-21.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,277

$0.79 ₩1,169

8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.56 ₩24.6K

$16.60 ₩24.6K

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,714

$1.17 ₩1,739

-0.85%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$27.5K ₩40.7M

-0.24%

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

$10.9K ₩16.2M

$24.7K ₩36.6M

-55.61%

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

$167 ₩247.9K

$187 ₩277.1K

-10.53%

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

$44.13 ₩65.5K

$49.90 ₩74.0K

-11.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 ₩36.6K

$27.20 ₩40.3K

-9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.67 ₩45.5K

$52.5 ₩77.9K

-41.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.43 ₩33.3K

$13.38 ₩19.9K

67.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 ₩16.6K

$11.52 ₩17.1K

-2.69%

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

$281 ₩417.4K

$496 ₩736.3K

-43.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K ₩52.5M

$13.9K ₩20.6M

154.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ₩93.2K

$103 ₩152.4K

-38.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 ₩60.1K

$66.2 ₩98.2K

-38.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 ₩129.7K

$89.1 ₩132.1K

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₩152.6K

$119 ₩176.1K

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩555.6K

$516 ₩766.1K

-27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₩466.9K

$313 ₩465.0K

0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 ₩1.4M

$1,022 ₩1.5M

-9.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₩894.1K

$670 ₩993.4K

-9.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,127 ₩7.6M

$9,547 ₩14.2M

-46.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,049 ₩6.0M

$7,094 ₩10.5M

-42.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,124 ₩3.2M

$2,452 ₩3.6M

-13.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.77

4.22

-10.66%

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

Last update for Daejeon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $375 in Daejeon and $516 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 Daejeon vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $446 per month, with Daejeon 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

Daejeon vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daejeon wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Daejeon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Busan earns 15% less. 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: $375 in Daejeon versus $516 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Daejeon runs roughly 301% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $281 in Daejeon versus $496 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,318 in Daejeon versus $1,491 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Daejeon but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Daejeon 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, Daejeon 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 Daejeon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.