Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Pangyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Pangyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,530 in Ilsan versus $1,438 in Pangyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Ilsan versus $2,265 in Pangyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,312 in Ilsan versus $3,091 in Pangyo.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 6% more expensive than Pangyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 14% above, Pangyo 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.1K

$7.31 ₩10.8K

2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 ₩82.6K

$37.38 ₩55.5K

48.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ₩9,694

$5.46 ₩8,101

19.60%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,555

$3.78 ₩5,609

-0.79%

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

$1.67 ₩2,475

$1.54 ₩2,287

8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,054

$0.84 ₩1,243

-15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$3.35 ₩4,965

8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,546

$4.96 ₩7,352

16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,198

$2.23 ₩3,302

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 ₩5,013

$3.02 ₩4,478

11.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,592

$3.04 ₩4,504

1.97%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,732

$3.00 ₩4,444

6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 ₩20.8K

$10.63 ₩15.8K

32.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩15.9K

$8.46 ₩12.5K

27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.74 ₩50.0K

$27.75 ₩41.2K

21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ₩11.5K

$7.73 ₩11.5K

0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,132

$3.26 ₩4,834

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,140

$5.44 ₩8,065

0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 ₩9,424

$5.37 ₩7,967

18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,673

$4.01 ₩5,950

-4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,231

$2.93 ₩4,352

-2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩3,909

$2.19 ₩3,242

20.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,799

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,956

$3.28 ₩4,865

1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 ₩22.4K

$15.15 ₩22.5K

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,466

$1.86 ₩2,755

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩4,933

$3.21 ₩4,766

3.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,639

$1.07 ₩1,584

3.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.83 ₩69.5K

$47.31 ₩70.2K

-1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₩3,533

$3.49 ₩5,175

-31.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩853

$0.57 ₩847

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.3K

$8.88 ₩13.2K

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,706

$1.20 ₩1,786

-4.17%

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

$27.3K ₩40.5M

-0.11%

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

$25.3K ₩37.6M

$25.5K ₩37.8M

-0.52%

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

$164 ₩242.8K

$163 ₩241.4K

0.58%

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

$35.01 ₩51.9K

$34.93 ₩51.8K

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 ₩33.0K

$22.64 ₩33.6K

-1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ₩71.7K

$47.40 ₩70.3K

2.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.73 ₩48.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 ₩16.1K

$10.86 ₩16.1K

-0.18%

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

$414 ₩614.5K

$421 ₩623.9K

-1.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩35.2M

$23.2K ₩34.4M

2.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩86.1K

$59.3 ₩88.0K

-2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.24 ₩70.1K

$47.30 ₩70.2K

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.6K

$78.7 ₩116.7K

1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.4K

$115 ₩170.6K

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₩675.3K

$451 ₩669.6K

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩556.5K

$370 ₩548.9K

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.6M

$1,086 ₩1.6M

-2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₩1.1M

$781 ₩1.2M

-2.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,782 ₩13.0M

$9,655 ₩14.3M

-9.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 ₩7.7M

$5,702 ₩8.5M

-9.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 ₩4.6M

$4,739 ₩7.0M

-34.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Ilsan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pangyo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Ilsan and $451 in Pangyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pangyo pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Ilsan vs $37.00 in Pangyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $482 vs $428 per month, with Pangyo 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 Pangyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pangyo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pangyo earns 53% less. 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: $455 in Ilsan versus $451 in Pangyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,530 per month in Ilsan versus $1,438 in Pangyo – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pangyo runs roughly 1% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,438 in Pangyo versus $1,530 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangyo but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. The gap between the two cities makes Pangyo 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 Pangyo 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 Pangyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.