Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Pangyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,227 a month against $1,467 in Pangyo, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Gyeongju, South Korea
Pangyo, South Korea
Gyeongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,227
/mo nomad
Pangyo
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,467
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gyeongju and in Pangyo

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

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,467 in Pangyo, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $1,227
  • Pangyo $1,467

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,284 in Pangyo, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,008
  • Pangyo $2,284

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,102 in Pangyo, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,788
  • Pangyo $3,102

Gyeongju is about 16% cheaper than Pangyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Gyeongju sits 10% below the global median, while Pangyo is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 ₩10.2K
$7.37 ₩9,877
3.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.45 ₩66.3K
$35.34 ₩47.4K
39.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.60 ₩8,848
$6.76 ₩9,066
-2.37%
Cappuccino
$3.05 ₩4,092
$3.75 ₩5,028
-18.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₩1,477
$1.55 ₩2,072
-29.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₩485
$0.71 ₩954
-49.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 ₩3,592
$3.58 ₩4,804
-25.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23 ₩5,663
$4.58 ₩6,140
-7.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ₩3,018
$2.22 ₩2,975
1.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ₩3,392
$3.14 ₩4,209
-19.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 ₩4,114
$2.66 ₩3,562
15.41%
Eggs
$2.65 ₩3,554
$2.73 ₩3,661
-2.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.17 ₩15.0K
$11.04 ₩14.8K
1.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.46 ₩14.0K
$7.74 ₩10.4K
35.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.08 ₩25.6K
$20.46 ₩27.4K
-6.74%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 ₩6,185
$7.46 ₩9,996
-38.20%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 ₩3,604
$3.31 ₩4,437
-18.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.86 ₩5,168
$6.59 ₩8,833
-41.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.68 ₩4,933
$5.98 ₩8,019
-38.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.61 ₩3,504
$3.60 ₩4,825
-27.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 ₩3,057
$2.62 ₩3,513
-12.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 ₩3,002
$2.73 ₩3,661
-17.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₩1,726
$1.34 ₩1,793
-3.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 ₩4,444
$3.29 ₩4,404
0.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.13 ₩20.3K
$18.41 ₩24.7K
-17.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₩1,549
$2.23 ₩2,987
-47.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₩3,068
$3.41 ₩4,576
-32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ₩1,373
$1.12 ₩1,499
-8.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$49.28 ₩66.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.98 ₩3,994
$3.52 ₩4,717
-15.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₩1,042
$0.67 ₩895
16.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.95 ₩22.7K
$9.26 ₩12.4K
83.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₩1,435
$1.35 ₩1,804
-20.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K ₩53.7M
$29.4K ₩39.4M
36.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K ₩44.7M
$33.9K ₩45.4M
-1.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.2 ₩108.8K
$209 ₩279.8K
-61.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.92 ₩48.1K
$36.82 ₩49.4K
-2.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.37 ₩36.7K
$21.24 ₩28.5K
28.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 ₩73.8K
$55.4 ₩74.3K
-0.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.94 ₩18.7K
$13.90 ₩18.6K
0.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.09 ₩14.9K
$11.11 ₩14.9K
-0.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 ₩848.8K
$381 ₩510.2K
66.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K ₩29.6M
$21.5K ₩28.9M
2.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.48 ₩59.6K
$62.1 ₩83.3K
-28.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.62 ₩30.3K
$61.4 ₩82.3K
-63.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 ₩124.8K
$74.7 ₩100.1K
24.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₩174.4K
$99.8 ₩133.7K
30.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 ₩657.0K
$493 ₩661.2K
-0.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 ₩475.0K
$348 ₩466.7K
1.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 ₩1.6M
$1,157 ₩1.6M
1.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 ₩991.0K
$742 ₩994.7K
-0.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,222 ₩9.7M
$7,115 ₩9.5M
1.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,555 ₩7.4M
$5,495 ₩7.4M
1.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gyeongju
Pangyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,898 ₩2.5M
$5,227 ₩7.0M
-63.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
4.1
2.93%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pangyo: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
$364
Pangyo
$420 15.2% $55
Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
$354
Pangyo
$348 1.8% $6.2
Eating Out
Gyeongju
$145
Pangyo
$160 10.4% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
$144
Pangyo
$267 84.7% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
$131
Pangyo
$134 2.6% $3.4
Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
$77
Pangyo
$78 0.5% $0.4
Getting Around
Gyeongju
$11 *
Pangyo
$61 453% $50

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Gyeongju versus $493 in Pangyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Pangyo are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Gyeongju versus $35 in Pangyo. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Gyeongju vs $420 in Pangyo – so Gyeongju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gyeongju
🇰🇷 Pangyo
🕒 Local time
09:13 9:13 AM
09:13 9:13 AM
Same time as Gyeongju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
258,156
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gyeongju Pangyo 260 km
From you
  • Gyeongju
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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
Gyeongju vs Pangyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gyeongju cheaper than Pangyo?
Yes – Pangyo is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,841 per month in Gyeongju and $2,201 in Pangyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Gyeongju and Pangyo?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $490 in Gyeongju and $493 in Pangyo. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Gyeongju and in Pangyo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,227 in Gyeongju and $1,467 in Pangyo. That makes Gyeongju about 16% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Gyeongju and $381 in Pangyo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is safer, Gyeongju or Pangyo?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Gyeongju. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pangyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Gyeongju vs other spots: cost of living compared

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