Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Pohang Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Pohang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,284 in Nara versus $1,333 in Pohang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Nara versus $2,007 in Pohang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,572 in Nara versus $2,680 in Pohang.

Living in Nara costs roughly 4% less than in Pohang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nara is 4% below, Pohang is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 ¥1,082

$5.23 ₩8,018

29.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 ¥5,498

$18.25 ₩28.0K

88.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 ¥905

$6.14 ₩9,412

-7.82%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥484

$2.98 ₩4,565

1.68%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.44 ₩2,208

-24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.51 ₩787

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥544

$3.75 ₩5,741

-9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.62 ₩5,546

-11.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.79 ₩2,747

-14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥240

$3.17 ₩4,854

-52.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 ¥740

$2.53 ₩3,883

83.00%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.97 ₩4,547

-17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ¥1,700

$10.60 ₩16.2K

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ¥1,014

$6.44 ₩9,860

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.80 ¥3,326

$27.14 ₩41.6K

-23.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥586

$2.17 ₩3,331

68.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ¥349

$3.11 ₩4,771

-29.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥404

$7.47 ₩11.4K

-66.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥691

$2.63 ₩4,030

64.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥276

$4.89 ₩7,485

-64.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ¥206

$2.93 ₩4,494

-55.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥219

$2.02 ₩3,093

-32.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$1.16 ₩1,785

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥541

$3.33 ₩5,102

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 ¥1,496

$8.40 ₩12.9K

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$1.49 ₩2,280

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥378

$3.37 ₩5,163

-29.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 ¥358

$1.10 ₩1,691

103.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ¥8,987

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ¥546

$2.47 ₩3,782

38.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 ¥472

$0.86 ₩1,313

243.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.42 ¥2,786

$16.38 ₩25.1K

6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.22 ₩1,864

-2.46%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$28.0K ₩42.8M

-17.21%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$24.9K ₩38.2M

-31.54%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$106 ₩162.2K

27.29%

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

$27.21 ¥4,352

$50.1 ₩76.8K

-45.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 ¥4,910

$27.14 ₩41.6K

13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.2 ¥13.0K

$29.52 ₩45.2K

174.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.21 ¥1,313

$7.18 ₩11.0K

14.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 ¥1,985

$10.98 ₩16.8K

13.02%

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

$69.9 ¥11.2K

$491 ₩752.6K

-85.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K ¥1.6M

$14.4K ₩22.1M

-28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.02 ¥7,040

$104 ₩159.3K

-57.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$47.82 ₩73.3K

-38.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 ¥8,900

$87.1 ₩133.5K

-36.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ¥14.5K

$110 ₩168.5K

-17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ¥69.5K

$446 ₩682.9K

-2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ¥59.1K

$427 ₩654.6K

-13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ¥99.9K

$1,068 ₩1.6M

-41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ¥88.6K

$780 ₩1.2M

-29.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 ¥435.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,984 ¥317.3K

$2,602 ₩4.0M

-23.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 ¥180.9K

$2,229 ₩3.4M

-49.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

4.22

-57.82%

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

Last update for Nara: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pohang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Nara and $446 in Pohang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pohang pays 97% 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: $34.00 in Nara vs $18.00 in Pohang. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $363, with Nara 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

Nara vs Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pohang earns 97% 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: $435 in Nara versus $446 in Pohang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Pohang. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,284 per month in Nara versus $1,333 in Pohang – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,284 in Nara versus $1,333 in Pohang, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Pohang. The gap between the two cities makes Nara 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, Nara and Pohang 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Pohang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.