Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Gyeongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,228 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Gyeongju
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Gyeongju Living Index

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Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$2,984

/mo nomad

Gyeongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Gyeongju

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

A single person spends $2,984 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,228 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Hong Kong $2,984
Gyeongju $1,228

A couple spends around $4,584 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,988 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Hong Kong $4,584
Gyeongju $1,988

A family of three spends $6,183 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,748 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Hong Kong $6,183
Gyeongju $2,748

Hong Kong costs about 143% more than Gyeongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Hong Kong sits 121% above the global median, while Gyeongju is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.75 HK$60.8

$7.61 ₩10.1K

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 HK$508

$48.01 ₩63.8K

34.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 HK$48.51

$6.51 ₩8,653

-5.07%

Cappuccino

$5.08 HK$39.85

$3.02 ₩4,012

68.21%

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

$1.31 HK$10.31

$1.10 ₩1,457

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 HK$8.56

$0.35 ₩469

211.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 HK$58.6

$2.59 ₩3,442

188.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 HK$51.0

$4.34 ₩5,764

49.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 HK$22.71

$2.31 ₩3,073

25.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 HK$18.14

$2.47 ₩3,280

-6.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 HK$16.71

$3.13 ₩4,164

-31.95%

Eggs

$3.52 HK$27.65

$2.60 ₩3,451

35.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.72 HK$194

$11.06 ₩14.7K

123.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 HK$66.9

$10.33 ₩13.7K

-17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.00 HK$141

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 HK$32.79

$4.50 ₩5,985

-7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 HK$21.07

$2.57 ₩3,411

4.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 HK$35.22

$3.82 ₩5,075

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 HK$31.66

$3.67 ₩4,879

9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 HK$24.51

$2.56 ₩3,398

21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 HK$24.72

$2.18 ₩2,897

44.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 HK$12.75

$2.19 ₩2,917

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 HK$13.66

$1.33 ₩1,766

30.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.50 HK$106

$3.44 ₩4,571

292.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 HK$130

$14.77 ₩19.6K

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 HK$15.19

$1.14 ₩1,515

70.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 HK$17.11

$2.22 ₩2,949

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 HK$11.04

$1.06 ₩1,409

33.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 HK$696

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 HK$28.94

$2.93 ₩3,895

25.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 HK$10.36

$0.79 ₩1,046

67.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 HK$124

$16.57 ₩22.0K

-4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.03 HK$31.65

$1.02 ₩1,354

295.10%

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

$44.7K HK$350.5K

$29.6K ₩39.3M

51.11%

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

$37.8K HK$296.6K

$34.0K ₩45.2M

11.08%

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

$250 HK$1,959

$80.6 ₩107.1K

209.86%

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

$15.60 HK$122

$36.83 ₩49.0K

-57.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 HK$171

$27.20 ₩36.2K

-19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 HK$739

$52.1 ₩69.3K

80.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 HK$72.9

$11.96 ₩15.9K

-22.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 HK$109

$11.04 ₩14.7K

26.00%

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

$1,162 HK$9,122

$639 ₩849.8K

81.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K HK$171.6K

$22.2K ₩29.5M

-1.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 HK$534

$45.34 ₩60.3K

49.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 HK$329

$22.41 ₩29.8K

87.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 HK$626

$91.7 ₩121.9K

-13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 HK$956

$128 ₩170.8K

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 HK$17.6K

$478 ₩635.9K

368.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 HK$13.5K

$366 ₩486.7K

369.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,041 HK$39.6K

$1,163 ₩1.5M

333.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 HK$27.0K

$732 ₩972.7K

369.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.2K HK$229.0K

$7,249 ₩9.6M

302.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.6K HK$137.9K

$5,416 ₩7.2M

224.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,271 HK$25.7K

$1,841 ₩2.4M

77.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.91

4.22

-7.35%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 10, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hong Kong

$1.7K 57.6%

Gyeongju

$366 29.8% 78.7% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Hong Kong

$411 13.8%

Gyeongju

$359 29.2% 12.6% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hong Kong

$287 9.6%

Gyeongju

$145 11.8% 49.6% $142

Eating Out

Hong Kong

$201 6.8%

Gyeongju

$144 11.7% 28.5% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Hong Kong

$140 4.7%

Gyeongju

$130 10.6% 7.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Hong Kong

$122 4.1%

Gyeongju

$74 6% 39.2% $48

Getting Around

Hong Kong

$105 3.5%

Gyeongju

$11 * 0.9% 89.4% $93

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,241 in Hong Kong versus $478 in Gyeongju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong versus $48.00 in Gyeongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $359 – making Gyeongju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🇰🇷 Gyeongju

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

10:10 10:10 AM

1 h ahead of Hong Kong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,367,900 Capital

258,156

💱 Currency

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.113 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇰 Hong Kong Dollar ($)

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to HKD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Hong Kong Gyeongju 2,100 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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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

Hong Kong vs Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hong Kong is pricier by about 143%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,476 per month in Hong Kong and $1,843 in Gyeongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gyeongju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,984 in Hong Kong and $1,228 in Gyeongju. That's a gap of about 143%.

Kindergarten costs $1,162 per month in Hong Kong and $639 in Gyeongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,228, than in Hong Kong at $2,984. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Gyeongju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.