Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Da Nang

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $889 a month against $1,341 in Gwangju, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Gwangju, South Korea
Da Nang, Vietnam
Gwangju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,341
/mo nomad
Da Nang
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$889
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gwangju and in Da Nang

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

A single person spends $1,341 per month in Gwangju vs $889 in Da Nang, rent included.

  • Gwangju $1,341
  • Da Nang $889

A couple spends around $2,048 per month in Gwangju vs $1,426 in Da Nang, rent included.

  • Gwangju $2,048
  • Da Nang $1,426

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Gwangju vs $1,963 in Da Nang, rent included.

  • Gwangju $2,756
  • Da Nang $1,963

Gwangju costs about 51% more than Da Nang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gwangju and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Gwangju 2% lower, Da Nang 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.02 ₩8,080
$2.17 ₫56.1K
177.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.32 ₩46.1K
$19.53 ₫504.6K
75.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.82 ₩7,817
$4.53 ₫117.1K
28.48%
Cappuccino
$3.17 ₩4,258
$1.64 ₫42.4K
93.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₩2,141
$0.60 ₫15.6K
165.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₩848
$0.34 ₫8,912
85.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.38 ₩3,197
$1.33 ₫34.4K
78.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59 ₩6,170
$2.36 ₫61.0K
94.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ₩2,312
$1.60 ₫41.2K
7.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 ₩3,348
$1.20 ₫31.1K
107.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 ₩3,075
$1.05 ₫27.1K
118.10%
Eggs
$2.64 ₩3,541
$1.52 ₫39.4K
73.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.80 ₩11.8K
$12.82 ₫331.1K
-31.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.82 ₩10.5K
$4.17 ₫107.6K
87.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.15 ₩15.0K
$9.33 ₫240.9K
19.51%
Apples (1kg)
$5.16 ₩6,934
$2.60 ₫67.3K
98.46%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 ₩4,050
$1.21 ₫31.4K
149.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.72 ₩5,000
$1.28 ₫33.1K
190.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.09 ₩4,144
$1.57 ₫40.6K
96.82%
Potato (1kg)
$3.60 ₩4,835
$1.20 ₫31.0K
200.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 ₩2,541
$1.31 ₫33.9K
44.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 ₩2,838
$1.04 ₫26.9K
102.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 ₩1,725
$0.49 ₫12.7K
161.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.36 ₩4,515
$1.51 ₫39.0K
122.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.19 ₩15.0K
$7.97 ₫205.9K
40.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 ₩2,031
$0.93 ₫24.0K
62.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₩3,100
$2.18 ₫56.4K
5.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 ₩1,351
$0.30 ₫7,702
236.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.8 ₩92.4K
$6.31 ₫162.9K
990.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 ₩4,102
$1.04 ₫26.8K
194.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₩854
$0.57 ₫14.6K
12.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.84 ₩10.5K
$19.27 ₫497.7K
-59.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 ₩1,617
$0.91 ₫23.5K
31.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K ₩37.7M
$30.8K ₫796.3M
-8.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K ₩47.3M
$28.4K ₫733.1M
24.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$212 ₩284.5K
$78.5 ₫2.0M
169.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.13 ₩59.3K
$6.35 ₫164.1K
594.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.64 ₩27.7K
$8.33 ₫215.2K
147.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.4 ₩74.3K
$27.08 ₫699.4K
104.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.36 ₩19.3K
$5.32 ₫137.4K
169.92%
Cinema Ticket
$11.20 ₩15.0K
$3.37 ₫87.0K
232.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 ₩401.2K
$423 ₫10.9M
-29.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K ₩23.5M
$15.1K ₫390.0M
15.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.50 ₩43.6K
$45.19 ₫1.2M
-28.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.36 ₩35.4K
$27.75 ₫717.0K
-5.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.9 ₩85.8K
$101 ₫2.6M
-36.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.9 ₩120.7K
$82.8 ₫2.1M
8.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$508 ₩682.6K
$553 ₫14.3M
-8.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 ₩496.4K
$369 ₫9.5M
0.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 ₩1.6M
$1,228 ₫31.7M
-5.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$744 ₩998.6K
$821 ₫21.2M
-9.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,980 ₩10.7M
$3,858 ₫99.6M
106.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,343 ₩8.5M
$1,877 ₫48.5M
237.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gwangju
Da Nang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,834 ₩3.8M
$362 ₫9.4M
681.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.6
10.72
-66.42%

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

Last update for Gwangju: October 24, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gwangju
$370
Da Nang
$369 0.2% $0.6
Groceries & Markets
Gwangju
$308
Da Nang
$200 35.1% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gwangju
$277
Da Nang
$93 66.3% $183
Eating Out
Gwangju
$134
Da Nang
$66 50.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Gwangju
$96
Da Nang
$115 20.6% $20
Getting Around
Gwangju
$79
Da Nang
$11 85.6% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Gwangju
$78
Da Nang
$34 56.5% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Gwangju versus $553 in Da Nang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Gwangju are about 7.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Gwangju versus $20 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $200 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gwangju
🇻🇳 Da Nang
🕒 Local time
03:47 3:47 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
2 h behind Gwangju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,467,996
1,245,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,757 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gwangju Da Nang 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gwangju
  • Da Nang

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
Gwangju vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Gwangju and in Da Nang compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,341 in Gwangju, $889 in Da Nang – roughly 51% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Gwangju compared to Da Nang?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,011 per month in Gwangju and $1,333 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Gwangju and in Da Nang?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $508 in Gwangju and $553 in Da Nang. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Gwangju, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Gwangju and $20 in Da Nang. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Gwangju at $1,341. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gwangju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Gwangju and Da Nang?
It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $889 in Da Nang to $1,341 in Gwangju. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Gwangju or Da Nang safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Gwangju and Da Nang?
If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gwangju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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