Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Pangyo versus $1,523 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Pangyo versus $2,376 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,071 in Pangyo versus $3,228 in Busan.

Living in Pangyo costs roughly 3% less than in Busan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pangyo 10% above, Busan 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 ₩10.9K

$7.07 ₩10.7K

1.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.12 ₩54.7K

$37.26 ₩56.5K

-3.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ₩8,463

$6.13 ₩9,288

-8.81%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₩5,987

$4.15 ₩6,295

-4.82%

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

$1.52 ₩2,301

$1.86 ₩2,816

-18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,264

$1.38 ₩2,094

-39.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₩4,987

$3.71 ₩5,624

-11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 ₩7,675

$5.76 ₩8,726

-11.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,256

$2.33 ₩3,538

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₩4,676

$3.55 ₩5,372

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,703

$3.03 ₩4,590

2.31%

Eggs

$3.01 ₩4,564

$2.96 ₩4,491

1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.1K

$10.38 ₩15.7K

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 ₩12.1K

$8.47 ₩12.8K

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.61 ₩41.8K

$27.30 ₩41.4K

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 ₩12.1K

$8.50 ₩12.9K

-5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,903

$3.25 ₩4,924

-0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 ₩8,271

$7.53 ₩11.4K

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,805

$5.32 ₩8,062

-3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 ₩6,006

$5.17 ₩7,838

-23.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,509

$2.94 ₩4,461

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₩3,239

$2.00 ₩3,030

7.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,744

$1.20 ₩1,812

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,876

$3.28 ₩4,969

-1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 ₩24.9K

$16.73 ₩25.4K

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₩2,866

$1.74 ₩2,633

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩5,042

$3.46 ₩5,249

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,694

$1.11 ₩1,683

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 ₩72.2K

$44.83 ₩67.9K

6.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,466

$3.50 ₩5,301

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩802

$0.79 ₩1,194

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 ₩13.2K

$16.82 ₩25.5K

-48.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,780

$1.23 ₩1,856

-4.07%

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

$27.4K ₩41.5M

$27.4K ₩41.6M

-0.08%

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

$24.8K ₩37.6M

$25.0K ₩37.8M

-0.76%

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

$162 ₩245.9K

$190 ₩288.4K

-14.76%

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

$35.40 ₩53.6K

$49.90 ₩75.6K

-29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 ₩33.1K

$27.21 ₩41.2K

-19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 ₩71.2K

$52.0 ₩78.8K

-9.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.70 ₩51.1K

$13.24 ₩20.1K

154.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 ₩16.6K

$11.31 ₩17.1K

-3.01%

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

$419 ₩634.3K

$497 ₩753.7K

-15.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.6M

$14.2K ₩21.5M

65.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩88.0K

$105 ₩158.4K

-44.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.49 ₩73.5K

$64.9 ₩98.3K

-25.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ₩119.2K

$88.2 ₩133.7K

-10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.2K

$118 ₩178.6K

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₩691.2K

$500 ₩756.9K

-8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₩577.4K

$320 ₩485.1K

19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 ₩1.6M

$1,006 ₩1.5M

3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₩1.2M

$653 ₩989.5K

18.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,529 ₩14.4M

$9,780 ₩14.8M

-2.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,255 ₩8.0M

$7,054 ₩10.7M

-25.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,598 ₩7.0M

$2,407 ₩3.6M

91.02%

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 Pangyo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $456 in Pangyo and $500 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pangyo pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Pangyo vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $450 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

Pangyo vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pangyo wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pangyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Pangyo pays 91% more on average, 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: $456 in Pangyo versus $500 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pangyo runs roughly 6% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $419 in Pangyo versus $497 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Pangyo versus $1,523 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangyo but tight or insufficient in Busan. 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, Pangyo 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 Pangyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.