Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,596 in Icheon versus $1,596 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Icheon versus $2,494 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,511 in Icheon versus $3,392 in Busan.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Icheon 17% above, Busan 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₩8,863

$7.32 ₩10.1K

-12.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.06 ₩67.6K

$48.54 ₩66.9K

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ₩9,216

$6.77 ₩9,334

-1.18%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,188

$3.63 ₩5,005

3.58%

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

$1.27 ₩1,745

$1.77 ₩2,439

-28.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,613

$1.37 ₩1,886

-14.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,036

$3.75 ₩5,161

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ₩5,788

$4.15 ₩5,723

1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,068

$2.22 ₩3,062

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,438

$3.20 ₩4,406

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,226

$3.20 ₩4,408

-4.06%

Eggs

$2.68 ₩3,688

$2.71 ₩3,735

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₩14.8K

$10.93 ₩15.1K

-1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₩14.5K

$10.59 ₩14.6K

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.59 ₩33.9K

$24.56 ₩33.8K

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$11.22 ₩15.5K

$10.91 ₩15.0K

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.72 ₩5,130

$3.51 ₩4,840

5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.26 ₩11.4K

$8.22 ₩11.3K

0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 ₩7,947

$5.79 ₩7,981

-0.35%

Potato (1kg)

$6.08 ₩8,379

$5.89 ₩8,121

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,473

$3.34 ₩4,601

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,891

$2.74 ₩3,776

2.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,840

$1.32 ₩1,824

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩4,696

$3.31 ₩4,561

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩25.8K

$18.76 ₩25.9K

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₩3,405

$2.37 ₩3,265

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₩4,699

$3.34 ₩4,607

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,546

$1.16 ₩1,599

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 ₩81.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩5,020

$3.62 ₩4,982

0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ₩1,062

$0.75 ₩1,039

2.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 ₩22.8K

$16.97 ₩23.4K

-2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,919

$1.39 ₩1,922

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

$29.3K ₩40.4M

0.04%

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

$33.8K ₩46.6M

$33.0K ₩45.4M

2.56%

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

$200 ₩275.1K

$196 ₩270.1K

1.83%

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

$36.63 ₩50.5K

$36.66 ₩50.5K

-0.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 ₩36.8K

$26.60 ₩36.7K

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.02 ₩30.3K

$61.9 ₩85.3K

-64.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₩13.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 ₩15.5K

$11.82 ₩16.3K

-4.99%

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

$619 ₩852.9K

$628 ₩865.8K

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ₩29.4M

$22.1K ₩30.4M

-3.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩145.0K

$102 ₩140.4K

3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 ₩89.8K

$63.8 ₩88.0K

2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 ₩129.0K

$94.1 ₩129.6K

-0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ₩173.0K

$124 ₩171.5K

0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₩1.0M

$722 ₩994.5K

2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩622.6K

$367 ₩506.1K

23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 ₩1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ₩965.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,980 ₩13.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,262 ₩8.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,290 ₩3.2M

$2,835 ₩3.9M

-19.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

4.22

-7.58%

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

Last update for Icheon: September 14, 2026

Last update for Busan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Icheon and $722 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 24% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $49.00 in Icheon vs $49.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $482, with Busan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Icheon vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Busan. 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: $741 in Icheon versus $722 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Icheon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Busan – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $49.00 in Icheon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,596 in Busan versus $1,596 in Icheon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Icheon. 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, Icheon 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, Icheon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.