Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,500 in Gongju versus $1,494 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,339 in Gongju versus $2,332 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,178 in Gongju versus $3,171 in Busan.

Monthly costs are close between Gongju and Busan; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gongju 12% above, Busan 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ₩10.7K

$7.33 ₩11.1K

-3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.67 ₩55.7K

$37.36 ₩56.7K

-1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ₩9,341

$5.93 ₩9,003

3.71%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,297

$4.00 ₩6,070

3.75%

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

$1.78 ₩2,710

$1.88 ₩2,852

-5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩2,041

$1.33 ₩2,021

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,727

$3.64 ₩5,520

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,753

$5.92 ₩8,993

-2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₩3,440

$2.35 ₩3,574

-3.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 ₩5,447

$3.57 ₩5,427

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,583

$3.14 ₩4,766

-3.82%

Eggs

$2.91 ₩4,418

$2.86 ₩4,345

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 ₩16.0K

$10.58 ₩16.1K

-0.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 ₩12.7K

$8.42 ₩12.8K

-0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 ₩41.4K

$27.75 ₩42.1K

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$8.37 ₩12.7K

1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,751

$3.23 ₩4,898

-3.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.49 ₩11.4K

$7.55 ₩11.5K

-0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,865

$5.27 ₩8,006

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 ₩7,933

$5.10 ₩7,738

2.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,557

$3.05 ₩4,632

-1.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 ₩3,111

$2.04 ₩3,093

0.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,764

$1.20 ₩1,827

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ₩4,881

$3.30 ₩5,008

-2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.39 ₩24.9K

$16.14 ₩24.5K

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,589

$1.77 ₩2,689

-3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ₩5,134

$3.33 ₩5,056

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,689

$1.13 ₩1,714

-1.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩66.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩5,392

$3.50 ₩5,313

1.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,214

$0.84 ₩1,281

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 ₩25.2K

$16.49 ₩25.0K

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,839

$1.16 ₩1,756

4.31%

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

$28.1K ₩42.6M

$28.0K ₩42.5M

0.38%

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

$24.9K ₩37.8M

$25.3K ₩38.4M

-1.72%

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

$188 ₩286.0K

$186 ₩282.7K

1.16%

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

$49.83 ₩75.7K

$50.8 ₩77.1K

-1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₩42.3K

$27.96 ₩42.5K

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.83 ₩72.6K

$52.4 ₩79.6K

-8.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 ₩17.2K

$11.17 ₩17.0K

1.70%

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

$490 ₩744.8K

$489 ₩743.0K

0.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩21.3M

$14.3K ₩21.8M

-2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩153.8K

$103 ₩155.7K

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 ₩73.1K

$65.2 ₩99.0K

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₩135.4K

$86.6 ₩131.5K

3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩180.4K

$117 ₩178.2K

1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩700.0K

$500 ₩759.8K

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₩573.2K

$324 ₩491.7K

16.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 ₩1.6M

$991 ₩1.5M

5.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₩1.2M

$673 ₩1.0M

14.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,505 ₩14.4M

$9,714 ₩14.8M

-2.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,298 ₩8.0M

$6,961 ₩10.6M

-23.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,125 ₩1.7M

$2,396 ₩3.6M

-53.03%

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 Gongju: June 9, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Gongju and $500 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 113% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Gongju vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $450 per month, with Gongju 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

Gongju vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Busan earns 113% 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: $461 in Gongju versus $500 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gongju pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Busan – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $37.00 in Gongju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,494 in Busan versus $1,500 in Gongju, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Gongju. 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, Gongju 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.

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