Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,389 in London versus $1,523 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,461 in London versus $2,336 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,533 in London versus $3,148 in Busan.

Living in London is roughly 57% more expensive than in Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 79% above, Busan 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.41

$7.13 ₩10.6K

154.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$37.25 ₩55.4K

96.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 CA$14.17

$5.93 ₩8,828

70.49%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.87

$4.08 ₩6,067

-14.71%

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

$1.99 CA$2.78

$1.86 ₩2,770

6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.34 ₩1,991

45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 CA$7.99

$3.72 ₩5,534

53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.15

$5.94 ₩8,837

9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$2.25 ₩3,344

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$3.43 ₩5,106

-29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.62

$3.01 ₩4,473

9.63%

Eggs

$3.25 CA$4.56

$2.86 ₩4,253

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.75

$10.43 ₩15.5K

-5.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.90

$8.34 ₩12.4K

44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.71

$27.01 ₩40.2K

-66.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.48

$8.58 ₩12.8K

-46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$3.12 ₩4,642

-54.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$7.30 ₩10.9K

-50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.32

$5.12 ₩7,614

-25.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$5.10 ₩7,589

-68.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$3.04 ₩4,524

-29.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$2.01 ₩2,996

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.21 ₩1,803

19.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.72 CA$17.84

$3.39 ₩5,038

275.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.41

$16.85 ₩25.1K

-26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.69 ₩2,507

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$3.35 ₩4,979

-24.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.31

$1.17 ₩1,743

101.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.1 CA$116

$44.13 ₩65.6K

88.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 CA$5.83

$3.46 ₩5,153

20.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$0.85 ₩1,261

108.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.80 CA$43.18

$16.39 ₩24.4K

87.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.16 ₩1,729

-0.86%

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

$24.8K CA$34.8K

$27.3K ₩40.6M

-9.17%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$25.5K ₩37.9M

-19.08%

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

$144 CA$202

$190 ₩282.8K

-24.23%

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

$47.42 CA$66.5

$49.69 ₩73.9K

-4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CA$80.9

$27.38 ₩40.7K

110.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 CA$58.3

$52.8 ₩78.5K

-21.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.50 CA$10.51

$13.16 ₩19.6K

-43.01%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.38

$11.43 ₩17.0K

-4.02%

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

$551 CA$772

$484 ₩720.4K

13.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K CA$20.1K

$14.0K ₩20.8M

2.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$75.6

$105 ₩155.7K

-48.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.75 CA$64.1

$67.4 ₩100.2K

-32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$121

$87.7 ₩130.4K

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CA$114

$116 ₩172.5K

-29.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 CA$2,049

$510 ₩758.0K

186.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,832

$323 ₩480.2K

304.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,646 CA$3,710

$1,010 ₩1.5M

162.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 CA$2,785

$655 ₩973.7K

203.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,401 CA$4,768

$9,773 ₩14.5M

-65.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,635 CA$5,097

$7,105 ₩10.6M

-48.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 CA$3,985

$2,545 ₩3.8M

11.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

4.22

47.16%

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

Last update for London: July 13, 2026

Last update for Busan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,462 in London and $510 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 12% 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: $73.0 in London vs $37.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $443, with London cheaper for home cooking.

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

London vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 12% higher in London, 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: $1,462 in London versus $510 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 88% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $551 in London versus $484 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,523 in Busan versus $2,389 in London, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Busan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,523 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, London 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 57% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.