Cost of Living Comparison Between Geoje and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Geoje and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,366 in Geoje versus $1,506 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Geoje versus $2,326 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Geoje versus $3,147 in Busan.

Living in Geoje costs roughly 9% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geoje 2% above, Busan 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 ₩11.1K

$7.09 ₩10.7K

3.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ₩52.2K

$37.46 ₩56.6K

-7.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ₩9,276

$5.92 ₩8,952

3.72%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₩6,323

$4.09 ₩6,187

2.20%

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

$1.83 ₩2,758

$1.87 ₩2,829

-2.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,070

$1.33 ₩2,016

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ₩2,201

$3.71 ₩5,599

-60.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₩5,504

$5.76 ₩8,700

-36.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₩2,698

$2.36 ₩3,572

-24.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 ₩3,133

$3.46 ₩5,227

-40.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,524

$3.03 ₩4,577

-1.32%

Eggs

$2.17 ₩3,279

$2.88 ₩4,344

-24.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₩15.6K

$10.68 ₩16.1K

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 ₩12.4K

$8.17 ₩12.3K

0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.78 ₩42.0K

$27.59 ₩41.7K

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$8.22 ₩12.4K

$8.25 ₩12.5K

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,907

$3.28 ₩4,955

-0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 ₩11.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 ₩8,097

$5.40 ₩8,153

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$5.21 ₩7,869

$5.21 ₩7,879

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,633

$2.92 ₩4,413

5.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 ₩3,096

$2.00 ₩3,025

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,835

$1.19 ₩1,804

1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩5,105

$3.39 ₩5,127

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ₩17.6K

$16.30 ₩24.6K

-28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,535

$1.73 ₩2,616

-2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ₩5,050

$3.42 ₩5,171

-2.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,677

$1.13 ₩1,706

-1.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 ₩66.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₩4,402

$3.61 ₩5,458

-19.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,263

$0.80 ₩1,216

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩25.1K

$16.81 ₩25.4K

-1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,840

$1.22 ₩1,851

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

$27.5K ₩41.5M

$27.7K ₩41.9M

-0.88%

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

$25.5K ₩38.5M

$25.2K ₩38.0M

1.17%

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

$129 ₩195.3K

$192 ₩289.9K

-32.63%

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

$25.80 ₩39.0K

$50.9 ₩76.9K

-49.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.04 ₩40.9K

$27.60 ₩41.7K

-2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.34 ₩73.0K

$52.6 ₩79.5K

-8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 ₩20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 ₩17.0K

$11.36 ₩17.2K

-0.70%

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

$494 ₩746.0K

$483 ₩730.2K

2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.7M

$14.2K ₩21.4M

1.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$104 ₩157.0K

0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.73 ₩70.6K

$66.2 ₩100.0K

-29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₩134.8K

$89.7 ₩135.5K

-0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩174.9K

$119 ₩180.0K

-2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩674.0K

$518 ₩783.0K

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 ₩573.9K

$313 ₩472.3K

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ₩1.6M

$1,024 ₩1.5M

3.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₩1.2M

$648 ₩979.6K

19.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,559 ₩14.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,109 ₩10.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,563 ₩2.4M

$2,488 ₩3.8M

-37.17%

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 Geoje: June 15, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Geoje and $518 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 59% 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: $35.00 in Geoje vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $448 per month, with Geoje 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

Geoje vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geoje wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Geoje the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Busan earns 59% 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: $446 in Geoje versus $518 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Busan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,366 per month in Geoje versus $1,506 in Busan – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,366 in Geoje versus $1,506 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Geoje but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Geoje 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, Geoje 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 Geoje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.