Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gimhae and Busan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gimhae: $1,553 a month against $1,812 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Gimhae
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Gimhae Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Busan
Learn more

Busan Living Index

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Gimhae

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,553

/mo nomad

Busan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,812

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gimhae and in Busan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gimhae and in Busan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,553 in Gimhae versus $1,812 in Busan.

Gimhae $1,553
Busan $1,812

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,462 in Gimhae versus $2,952 in Busan.

Gimhae $2,462
Busan $2,952

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,371 in Gimhae versus $4,091 in Busan.

Gimhae $3,371
Busan $4,091

Living in Gimhae costs roughly 14% less than in Busan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gimhae 15% above, Busan 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 ₩10.2K

$7.34 ₩9,823

3.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.21 ₩65.9K

$48.83 ₩65.4K

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ₩8,960

$6.59 ₩8,820

1.52%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,031

$3.75 ₩5,024

0.27%

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

$1.87 ₩2,507

$1.78 ₩2,378

5.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩1,863

$1.45 ₩1,935

-4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₩5,035

$3.67 ₩4,916

2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₩5,875

$4.33 ₩5,803

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₩3,098

$2.32 ₩3,105

-0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 ₩4,339

$3.24 ₩4,335

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,089

$3.07 ₩4,109

-0.65%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,499

$2.71 ₩3,623

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 ₩14.9K

$11.00 ₩14.7K

1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 ₩14.0K

$10.52 ₩14.1K

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.45 ₩32.7K

$25.00 ₩33.5K

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$10.94 ₩14.6K

$11.04 ₩14.8K

-0.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 ₩4,752

$3.65 ₩4,883

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.18 ₩11.0K

$7.91 ₩10.6K

3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 ₩7,817

$5.78 ₩7,745

1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,070

$5.87 ₩7,860

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 ₩4,410

$3.25 ₩4,357

1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 ₩3,681

$2.72 ₩3,639

1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,783

$1.26 ₩1,691

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,368

$3.31 ₩4,431

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 ₩25.0K

$18.92 ₩25.3K

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₩3,171

$2.42 ₩3,241

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₩4,726

$3.64 ₩4,871

-3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,619

$1.18 ₩1,578

2.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ₩91.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ₩4,648

$3.60 ₩4,826

-3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₩894

$0.66 ₩890

1.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 ₩19.7K

$14.88 ₩19.9K

-0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₩1,705

$1.36 ₩1,825

-6.62%

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

$39.7K ₩53.1M

$40.0K ₩53.6M

-0.87%

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

$33.4K ₩44.8M

$33.0K ₩44.2M

1.30%

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

$195 ₩261.4K

$197 ₩263.6K

-0.82%

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

$36.82 ₩49.3K

$35.89 ₩48.1K

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.09 ₩36.3K

$26.71 ₩35.8K

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.27 ₩62.0K

$50.9 ₩68.1K

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 ₩20.3K

$9.86 ₩13.2K

54.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 ₩16.0K

$11.71 ₩15.7K

1.96%

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

$630 ₩843.4K

$624 ₩835.2K

0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩29.1M

$22.0K ₩29.5M

-1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩137.0K

$104 ₩139.6K

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 ₩87.1K

$65.9 ₩88.3K

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ₩125.7K

$92.2 ₩123.5K

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ₩169.7K

$129 ₩172.1K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ₩675.5K

$753 ₩1.0M

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩519.2K

$575 ₩770.3K

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ₩1.6M

$2,202 ₩2.9M

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₩1.1M

$1,386 ₩1.9M

-42.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,801 ₩10.4M

$5,126 ₩6.9M

52.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,673 ₩7.6M

$3,249 ₩4.3M

74.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,533 ₩3.4M

$2,658 ₩3.6M

-4.71%

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 Gimhae: November 3, 2026

Last update for Busan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Gimhae

$483 31.1%

Busan

$484 26.7% 0.2% $1.1

Accommodation & Living

Gimhae

$388 25%

Busan

$575 31.7% 48.4% $188

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gimhae

$259 16.7%

Busan

$259 14.3% 0.1% $0.3

Clothing & Footwear

Gimhae

$175 11.2%

Busan

$176 9.7% 0.8% $1.3

Eating Out

Gimhae

$167 10.7%

Busan

$163 9% 2% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Gimhae

$70 4.5%

Busan

$74 4.1% 5.9% $4.2

Getting Around

Gimhae

$12 * 0.8%

Busan

$80 4.4% 584% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Gimhae and $753 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 5% 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: $49 in Gimhae vs $49 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $484 per month, with Gimhae cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gimhae

🇰🇷 Busan

🕒 Local time

06:02 6:02 AM

Same time as Gimhae

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

532,132

3,586,079

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.47 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.47 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Gimhae Busan 18 km

From you

Gimhae
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Gimhae vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gimhae wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Gimhae the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Gimhae. 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: $505 in Gimhae versus $753 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $630 in Gimhae versus $624 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $1,553 per month in Gimhae versus $1,812 in Busan – Gimhae is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Gimhae is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Safety-wise, Gimhae and Busan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Gimhae wins on affordability, Busan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.