Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,530 in Ilsan versus $1,491 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Ilsan versus $2,362 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,312 in Ilsan versus $3,234 in Busan.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 3% more expensive than Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 14% above, Busan 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.1K

$7.32 ₩10.9K

2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 ₩82.6K

$36.93 ₩54.8K

50.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ₩9,694

$6.00 ₩8,905

8.83%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,555

$4.08 ₩6,057

-8.09%

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

$1.67 ₩2,475

$1.82 ₩2,706

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,054

$1.33 ₩1,968

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$3.70 ₩5,491

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,546

$5.79 ₩8,584

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,198

$2.24 ₩3,320

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 ₩5,013

$3.50 ₩5,191

-3.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,592

$2.96 ₩4,394

4.73%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,732

$2.97 ₩4,407

7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 ₩20.8K

$10.31 ₩15.3K

36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩15.9K

$8.45 ₩12.5K

27.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.74 ₩50.0K

$28.07 ₩41.6K

20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ₩11.5K

$8.29 ₩12.3K

-6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,132

$3.24 ₩4,800

6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,140

$7.28 ₩10.8K

-24.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 ₩9,424

$5.20 ₩7,711

22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,673

$5.05 ₩7,492

-24.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,231

$3.03 ₩4,498

-5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩3,909

$2.02 ₩3,003

30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,799

$1.15 ₩1,711

5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,956

$3.29 ₩4,879

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 ₩22.4K

$16.69 ₩24.8K

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,466

$1.69 ₩2,514

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩4,933

$3.49 ₩5,178

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,639

$1.11 ₩1,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.83 ₩69.5K

$43.63 ₩64.7K

7.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₩3,533

$3.45 ₩5,121

-31.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩853

$0.79 ₩1,169

-26.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.3K

$16.60 ₩24.6K

-46.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,706

$1.17 ₩1,739

-1.71%

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

$27.3K ₩40.5M

$27.5K ₩40.7M

-0.61%

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

$25.3K ₩37.6M

$24.7K ₩36.6M

2.81%

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

$164 ₩242.8K

$187 ₩277.1K

-12.36%

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

$35.01 ₩51.9K

$49.90 ₩74.0K

-29.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 ₩33.0K

$27.20 ₩40.3K

-18.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ₩71.7K

$52.5 ₩77.9K

-7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 ₩16.1K

$11.52 ₩17.1K

-5.90%

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

$414 ₩614.5K

$496 ₩736.3K

-16.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩35.2M

$13.9K ₩20.6M

70.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩86.1K

$103 ₩152.4K

-43.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.24 ₩70.1K

$66.2 ₩98.2K

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.6K

$89.1 ₩132.1K

-10.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.4K

$119 ₩176.1K

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₩675.3K

$516 ₩766.1K

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩556.5K

$313 ₩465.0K

19.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.6M

$1,022 ₩1.5M

3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₩1.1M

$670 ₩993.4K

13.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,782 ₩13.0M

$9,547 ₩14.2M

-8.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 ₩7.7M

$7,094 ₩10.5M

-26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 ₩4.6M

$2,452 ₩3.6M

26.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Ilsan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Ilsan and $516 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $56.0 in Ilsan vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $482 vs $446 per month, with Busan cheaper across the board.

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

Ilsan vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ilsan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ilsan pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Ilsan versus $516 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 7% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $414 in Ilsan versus $496 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,491 in Busan versus $1,530 in Ilsan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. 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, Ilsan 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.

Expats usually find Busan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.