Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Pangyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Pangyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Icheon vs $1,467 in Pangyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Icheon vs $2,261 in Pangyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,101 per month in Icheon vs $3,056 in Pangyo, rent included.

Icheon is about 1% cheaper than Pangyo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Icheon and Pangyo sit above the global median – Icheon by 9%, Pangyo by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 ₩8,905

$7.02 ₩10.1K

-11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.33 ₩53.7K

$36.12 ₩51.9K

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₩8,894

$5.50 ₩7,914

12.36%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₩5,832

$3.91 ₩5,630

3.58%

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

$1.30 ₩1,873

$1.55 ₩2,225

-16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,729

$0.78 ₩1,129

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,397

$3.36 ₩4,836

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₩8,649

$4.99 ₩7,181

20.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₩3,360

$2.24 ₩3,220

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,020

$3.11 ₩4,468

12.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,460

$3.08 ₩4,432

0.65%

Eggs

$2.89 ₩4,156

$2.88 ₩4,140

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 ₩14.8K

$10.52 ₩15.1K

-2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 ₩11.6K

$8.33 ₩12.0K

-3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.05 ₩40.3K

$27.01 ₩38.8K

3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$8.53 ₩12.3K

$8.08 ₩11.6K

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,535

$3.23 ₩4,649

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.56 ₩10.9K

$5.69 ₩8,190

32.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 ₩7,636

$5.28 ₩7,600

0.57%

Potato (1kg)

$5.02 ₩7,219

$3.86 ₩5,552

30.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,250

$2.83 ₩4,073

4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,887

$2.19 ₩3,149

-8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,676

$1.15 ₩1,656

1.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,825

$3.35 ₩4,812

Wine (Bottle)

$16.91 ₩24.3K

$16.83 ₩24.2K

0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,445

$1.89 ₩2,721

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₩4,945

$3.36 ₩4,834

2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,623

$1.07 ₩1,541

5.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.57 ₩68.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩5,142

$3.48 ₩5,011

2.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,133

$0.56 ₩809

41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.68 ₩24.0K

$8.59 ₩12.3K

94.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,746

$1.21 ₩1,744

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

$27.8K ₩40.0M

$28.3K ₩40.7M

-1.64%

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

$25.1K ₩36.1M

-0.05%

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

$190 ₩273.2K

$166 ₩238.4K

14.60%

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

$50.1 ₩72.0K

$35.13 ₩50.5K

42.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.03 ₩40.3K

$22.11 ₩31.8K

26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.43 ₩32.3K

$48.48 ₩69.7K

-53.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.18 ₩47.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 ₩16.0K

$11.20 ₩16.1K

-0.98%

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

$488 ₩701.4K

$413 ₩593.5K

18.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩19.9M

$23.0K ₩33.1M

-39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩146.8K

$58.3 ₩83.9K

75.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.77 ₩68.7K

$47.87 ₩68.8K

-0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 ₩126.0K

$81.1 ₩116.6K

8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩168.7K

$116 ₩166.8K

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ₩1.0M

$448 ₩643.6K

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩543.3K

$371 ₩533.0K

1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ₩1.6M

$1,045 ₩1.5M

3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₩1.1M

$762 ₩1.1M

1.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,171 ₩10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,115 ₩7.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,116 ₩3.0M

$4,873 ₩7.0M

-56.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

4.14

-5.80%

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

Last update for Icheon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pangyo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $724 in Icheon versus $448 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 run about 130% higher in Pangyo, 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 $37.00 in Icheon versus $36.00 in Pangyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $448 vs $430 – making Pangyo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pangyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pangyo is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Icheon and $2,200 in Pangyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Icheon and $36.00 in Pangyo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Pangyo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Pangyo at $1,467. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pangyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – 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 Icheon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pangyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.