Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Icheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Icheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Pangyo vs $1,452 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,265 per month in Pangyo vs $2,264 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,091 per month in Pangyo vs $3,076 in Icheon, rent included.

Pangyo is about 1% cheaper than Icheon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pangyo and Icheon sit above the global median – Pangyo by 7%, Icheon by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ₩10.8K

$6.35 ₩9,416

15.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.38 ₩55.5K

$36.50 ₩54.1K

2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 ₩8,101

$6.14 ₩9,106

-11.07%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₩5,609

$4.01 ₩5,946

-5.74%

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

$1.54 ₩2,287

$1.25 ₩1,860

23.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₩1,243

$1.15 ₩1,700

-26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₩4,965

$3.57 ₩5,296

-6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₩7,352

$5.72 ₩8,478

-13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,302

$2.36 ₩3,494

-5.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₩4,478

$3.58 ₩5,308

-15.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,504

$3.14 ₩4,659

-3.18%

Eggs

$3.00 ₩4,444

$2.85 ₩4,234

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ₩15.8K

$10.67 ₩15.8K

-0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 ₩12.5K

$8.00 ₩11.9K

5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.75 ₩41.2K

$27.70 ₩41.1K

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 ₩11.5K

$8.21 ₩12.2K

-5.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,834

$3.27 ₩4,856

-0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 ₩8,065

$7.28 ₩10.8K

-25.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 ₩7,967

$5.22 ₩7,749

2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ₩5,950

$5.08 ₩7,541

-21.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,352

$3.06 ₩4,542

-4.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩3,242

$2.08 ₩3,080

5.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,799

$1.21 ₩1,790

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,865

$3.23 ₩4,798

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 ₩22.5K

$16.89 ₩25.1K

-10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₩2,755

$1.70 ₩2,527

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₩4,766

$3.50 ₩5,185

-8.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,584

$1.08 ₩1,600

-0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.31 ₩70.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩5,175

$3.46 ₩5,131

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$0.78 ₩1,156

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩13.2K

$16.33 ₩24.2K

-45.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,786

$1.22 ₩1,817

-1.64%

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

$27.3K ₩40.5M

$27.7K ₩41.1M

-1.28%

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

$25.5K ₩37.8M

$25.4K ₩37.6M

0.43%

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

$163 ₩241.4K

$190 ₩281.4K

-14.22%

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

$34.93 ₩51.8K

$50.2 ₩74.5K

-30.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 ₩33.6K

$27.70 ₩41.1K

-18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ₩70.3K

$21.95 ₩32.6K

115.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.73 ₩48.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 ₩16.1K

$11.16 ₩16.6K

-2.69%

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

$421 ₩623.9K

$486 ₩721.5K

-13.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩34.4M

$14.0K ₩20.8M

65.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ₩88.0K

$105 ₩155.4K

-43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.30 ₩70.2K

$48.44 ₩71.8K

-2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.7K

$87.6 ₩130.0K

-10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.6K

$119 ₩176.3K

-3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₩669.6K

$747 ₩1.1M

-39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩548.9K

$369 ₩547.8K

0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₩1.6M

$1,081 ₩1.6M

0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₩1.2M

$770 ₩1.1M

1.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,655 ₩14.3M

$8,419 ₩12.5M

14.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,702 ₩8.5M

$5,490 ₩8.1M

3.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,739 ₩7.0M

$2,092 ₩3.1M

126.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.9

6.15%

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

Last update for Pangyo: April 27, 2026

Last update for Icheon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Pangyo versus $747 in Icheon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 127% higher in Pangyo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Pangyo versus $36.00 in Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $428 in Pangyo vs $448 in Icheon – so Pangyo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Icheon is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,157 per month in Pangyo and $2,178 in Icheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pangyo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Pangyo and $36.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pangyo, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Icheon at $1,452. In Pangyo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pangyo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pangyo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.