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: $1,502 in Ilsan versus $1,531 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,410 in Ilsan versus $2,395 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Ilsan versus $3,259 in Busan.

Living in Ilsan costs roughly 2% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 13% above, Busan 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 ₩10.4K

$7.05 ₩10.2K

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₩79.3K

$36.34 ₩52.5K

51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₩8,927

$5.88 ₩8,486

5.10%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₩5,705

$4.00 ₩5,774

-1.25%

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

$1.75 ₩2,519

$1.87 ₩2,700

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₩1,079

$1.37 ₩1,984

-45.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ₩5,211

$3.64 ₩5,249

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,238

$6.00 ₩8,655

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₩3,157

$2.26 ₩3,258

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 ₩4,825

$3.55 ₩5,128

-5.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,660

$2.97 ₩4,293

8.75%

Eggs

$3.18 ₩4,585

$2.98 ₩4,303

6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ₩20.5K

$10.35 ₩14.9K

37.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 ₩15.4K

$8.36 ₩12.1K

27.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.64 ₩50.0K

$27.82 ₩40.2K

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$7.71 ₩11.1K

$8.59 ₩12.4K

-10.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 ₩4,945

$3.11 ₩4,496

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 ₩8,239

$7.24 ₩10.4K

-21.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.63 ₩9,564

$5.27 ₩7,609

25.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₩5,572

$5.28 ₩7,615

-26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,232

$2.92 ₩4,212

0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,743

$2.02 ₩2,912

28.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,678

$1.16 ₩1,677

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,756

$3.34 ₩4,816

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.75 ₩24.2K

$17.27 ₩24.9K

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,379

$1.73 ₩2,504

35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,697

$3.30 ₩4,769

-1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,549

$1.16 ₩1,670

-7.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.48 ₩70.0K

$44.92 ₩64.8K

7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₩3,519

$3.51 ₩5,060

-30.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩824

$0.84 ₩1,218

-32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ₩12.9K

$16.69 ₩24.1K

-46.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₩1,594

$1.16 ₩1,672

-5.17%

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

$28.0K ₩40.4M

$27.8K ₩40.1M

0.84%

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

$25.0K ₩36.1M

$24.7K ₩35.7M

1.32%

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

$161 ₩232.8K

$188 ₩270.7K

-13.99%

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

$34.55 ₩49.9K

$50.3 ₩72.7K

-31.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.94 ₩31.7K

$27.92 ₩40.3K

-21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.63 ₩70.2K

$51.8 ₩74.7K

-6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.98 ₩18.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 ₩16.0K

$11.46 ₩16.5K

-3.49%

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

$406 ₩585.6K

$481 ₩693.7K

-15.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩34.3M

$14.3K ₩20.7M

65.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩83.7K

$103 ₩148.5K

-43.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.27 ₩68.2K

$66.1 ₩95.4K

-28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 ₩114.9K

$87.8 ₩126.7K

-9.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩166.8K

$119 ₩172.1K

-3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩645.7K

$499 ₩720.5K

-10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩551.0K

$324 ₩467.9K

17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.5M

$994 ₩1.4M

6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₩1.1M

$663 ₩956.9K

13.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,247 ₩11.9M

$9,574 ₩13.8M

-13.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,518 ₩6.5M

$7,200 ₩10.4M

-37.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,204 ₩4.6M

$2,584 ₩3.7M

24.01%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Busan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ilsan and $499 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $55.0 in Ilsan vs $36.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $449 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

Ilsan wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ilsan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Ilsan, 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: $447 in Ilsan versus $499 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 8% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $406 in Ilsan versus $481 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,502 in Ilsan versus $1,531 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan 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 Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.