Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinju and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinju and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Jinju versus $1,483 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Jinju versus $2,335 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,243 in Jinju versus $3,186 in Busan.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩13.2K

$7.25 ₩10.6K

24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 ₩78.8K

$36.60 ₩53.4K

47.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 ₩9,136

$6.16 ₩8,995

1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₩5,544

$4.13 ₩6,027

-7.99%

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

$1.72 ₩2,510

$1.82 ₩2,653

-5.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,217

$1.38 ₩2,019

-39.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,258

$3.57 ₩5,205

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 ₩8,614

$5.86 ₩8,553

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,259

$2.25 ₩3,279

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 ₩4,863

$3.48 ₩5,083

-4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,509

$3.00 ₩4,381

3.00%

Eggs

$3.18 ₩4,645

$2.86 ₩4,174

11.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 ₩21.3K

$10.33 ₩15.1K

41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₩15.7K

$8.19 ₩12.0K

31.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.21 ₩49.9K

$27.42 ₩40.0K

24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.2K

$8.37 ₩12.2K

-8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,116

$3.15 ₩4,596

11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 ₩8,079

$7.50 ₩10.9K

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 ₩9,459

$5.19 ₩7,578

24.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,746

$5.06 ₩7,380

-22.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 ₩4,138

$2.90 ₩4,234

-2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 ₩3,792

$2.10 ₩3,071

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,698

$1.21 ₩1,760

-4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,796

$3.33 ₩4,866

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.13 ₩25.0K

$17.08 ₩24.9K

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,438

$1.67 ₩2,437

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,721

$3.42 ₩4,987

-5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,562

$1.12 ₩1,628

-4.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.84 ₩64.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ₩5,014

$3.43 ₩5,003

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩824

$0.80 ₩1,171

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩12.7K

$16.47 ₩24.0K

-47.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,819

$1.21 ₩1,764

3.31%

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

$28.2K ₩41.2M

$27.8K ₩40.6M

1.57%

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

$25.4K ₩37.0M

$25.0K ₩36.5M

1.54%

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

$165 ₩241.0K

$192 ₩279.5K

-13.77%

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

$35.31 ₩51.5K

$49.46 ₩72.2K

-28.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 ₩31.9K

$27.50 ₩40.1K

-20.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩68.7K

$53.6 ₩78.2K

-12.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.18 ₩19.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 ₩15.9K

$11.45 ₩16.7K

-4.80%

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

$413 ₩602.2K

$486 ₩709.3K

-15.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₩34.2M

$14.3K ₩20.9M

63.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩84.8K

$102 ₩148.9K

-43.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 ₩68.6K

$65.2 ₩95.1K

-27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₩116.3K

$88.1 ₩128.6K

-9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩170.0K

$118 ₩171.9K

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩656.4K

$502 ₩732.3K

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩538.0K

$317 ₩463.2K

16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₩1.6M

$1,019 ₩1.5M

6.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.1M

$663 ₩967.5K

17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,909 ₩10.1M

$9,636 ₩14.1M

-28.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,379 ₩6.4M

$7,161 ₩10.5M

-38.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,514 ₩3.7M

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 Jinju: July 21, 2026

Last update for Busan: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Jinju and $502 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Jinju vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $445 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

Jinju vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,223 in Jinju and $2,224 in Busan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Jinju versus $502 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Busan pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Jinju – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $37.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,482 in Jinju versus $1,483 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jinju but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Jinju 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, Jinju 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 – Jinju wins on affordability, Busan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.