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: $1,469 in Jinju versus $1,494 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,390 in Jinju versus $2,332 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,311 in Jinju versus $3,171 in Busan.

Living in Jinju costs roughly 2% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jinju 9% above, Busan 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 ₩13.8K

$7.33 ₩11.2K

22.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 ₩83.2K

$37.36 ₩57.1K

45.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₩9,920

$5.93 ₩9,056

9.44%

Cappuccino

$3.87 ₩5,915

$4.00 ₩6,105

-3.25%

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

$1.68 ₩2,572

$1.88 ₩2,869

-10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,224

$1.33 ₩2,032

-39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩5,462

$3.64 ₩5,552

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩9,214

$5.92 ₩9,046

1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₩3,332

$2.35 ₩3,595

-7.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,302

$3.57 ₩5,458

-2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,713

$3.14 ₩4,793

-1.59%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,805

$2.86 ₩4,370

10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 ₩21.9K

$10.58 ₩16.2K

35.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩16.4K

$8.42 ₩12.9K

27.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.49 ₩51.2K

$27.75 ₩42.4K

20.68%

Apples (1kg)

$8.06 ₩12.3K

$8.37 ₩12.8K

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩5,264

$3.23 ₩4,926

6.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,684

$7.55 ₩11.5K

-24.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 ₩9,763

$5.27 ₩8,053

21.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₩6,079

$5.10 ₩7,783

-21.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₩4,328

$3.05 ₩4,659

-7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 ₩4,006

$2.04 ₩3,111

28.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,841

$1.20 ₩1,837

0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,982

$3.30 ₩5,037

-1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 ₩29.5K

$16.14 ₩24.6K

19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,692

$1.77 ₩2,704

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₩4,977

$3.33 ₩5,085

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,630

$1.13 ₩1,724

-5.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.01 ₩67.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩5,367

$3.50 ₩5,344

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₩800

$0.84 ₩1,288

-38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₩13.2K

$16.49 ₩25.2K

-47.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,898

$1.16 ₩1,766

6.90%

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

$28.1K ₩42.9M

$28.0K ₩42.7M

0.43%

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

$25.1K ₩38.3M

$25.3K ₩38.7M

-0.84%

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

$166 ₩252.8K

$186 ₩284.3K

-11.09%

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

$34.74 ₩53.1K

$50.8 ₩77.6K

-31.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.03 ₩33.7K

$27.96 ₩42.7K

-21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ₩73.3K

$52.4 ₩80.1K

-8.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 ₩20.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 ₩16.6K

$11.17 ₩17.1K

-2.69%

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

$406 ₩620.8K

$489 ₩747.3K

-16.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₩35.2M

$14.3K ₩21.9M

60.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩88.6K

$103 ₩156.6K

-43.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 ₩71.6K

$65.2 ₩99.6K

-28.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ₩120.6K

$86.6 ₩132.2K

-8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.0K

$117 ₩179.3K

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩698.2K

$500 ₩764.2K

-8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₩568.7K

$324 ₩494.6K

14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ₩1.6M

$991 ₩1.5M

7.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₩1.2M

$673 ₩1.0M

13.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,481 ₩13.0M

$9,714 ₩14.8M

-12.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,988 ₩9.1M

$6,961 ₩10.6M

-13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,396 ₩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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $457 in Jinju and $500 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 $494 vs $450 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

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

You'd need roughly $2,203 in Jinju and $2,241 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: $457 in Jinju versus $500 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Jinju versus $1,494 in Busan – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,469 in Jinju versus $1,494 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.

Expats usually find Jinju 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.