Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Suwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Suwon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Pangyo vs $1,393 in Suwon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,265 per month in Pangyo vs $2,096 in Suwon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,091 per month in Pangyo vs $2,798 in Suwon, rent included.

Pangyo costs about 3% more than Suwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pangyo and Suwon sit above the global median – Pangyo by 7%, Suwon by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ₩10.8K

$7.44 ₩11.0K

-1.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.38 ₩55.1K

$29.14 ₩42.9K

28.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 ₩8,047

$5.07 ₩7,472

7.69%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₩5,571

$3.55 ₩5,225

6.48%

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

$1.54 ₩2,272

$1.54 ₩2,274

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₩1,235

$0.68 ₩1,006

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₩4,931

$3.73 ₩5,497

-10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₩7,303

$4.34 ₩6,391

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,280

$2.16 ₩3,190

3.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₩4,448

$2.26 ₩3,333

33.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,474

$3.21 ₩4,734

-5.30%

Eggs

$3.00 ₩4,414

$2.41 ₩3,546

24.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ₩15.7K

$10.82 ₩15.9K

-1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 ₩12.5K

$10.73 ₩15.8K

-21.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.75 ₩40.9K

$12.05 ₩17.8K

130.29%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 ₩11.4K

$5.53 ₩8,154

39.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,801

$2.78 ₩4,089

17.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 ₩8,011

$5.23 ₩7,702

4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 ₩7,914

$2.56 ₩3,767

109.77%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ₩5,910

$4.01 ₩5,915

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,323

$2.24 ₩3,295

30.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩3,220

$2.59 ₩3,811

-15.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,787

$0.90 ₩1,320

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,833

$3.25 ₩4,785

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 ₩22.3K

$12.41 ₩18.3K

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₩2,736

$2.04 ₩3,009

-8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₩4,734

$2.16 ₩3,183

48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,573

$1.21 ₩1,782

-11.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.31 ₩69.7K

$47.80 ₩70.4K

-1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩5,140

$2.73 ₩4,015

27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩841

$0.56 ₩828

1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩13.1K

$8.57 ₩12.6K

3.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,774

$1.25 ₩1,835

-4.00%

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

$27.3K ₩40.3M

$28.2K ₩41.5M

-3.11%

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

$25.5K ₩37.5M

$13.9K ₩20.4M

83.73%

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

$163 ₩239.8K

$165 ₩242.5K

-1.12%

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

$34.93 ₩51.5K

$34.89 ₩51.4K

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 ₩33.4K

$21.97 ₩32.4K

3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ₩69.8K

$45.83 ₩67.5K

3.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.73 ₩48.2K

$14.48 ₩21.3K

126.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 ₩16.0K

$11.22 ₩16.5K

-3.21%

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

$421 ₩619.7K

$420 ₩619.1K

0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩34.2M

$23.5K ₩34.6M

-1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ₩87.4K

$34.24 ₩50.4K

73.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.30 ₩69.7K

$48.28 ₩71.1K

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.0K

$79.4 ₩116.9K

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩169.5K

$26.84 ₩39.5K

328.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₩665.1K

$444 ₩654.8K

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩545.2K

$445 ₩655.9K

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₩1.6M

$916 ₩1.4M

18.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₩1.1M

$867 ₩1.3M

-9.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,655 ₩14.2M

$10.8K ₩16.0M

-10.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,702 ₩8.4M

$6,590 ₩9.7M

-13.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,739 ₩7.0M

$2,276 ₩3.4M

108.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Pangyo: April 27, 2026

Last update for Suwon: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Pangyo versus $444 in Suwon. 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 108% higher in Pangyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Pangyo versus $29 in Suwon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $428 vs $344 – making Suwon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Suwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pangyo is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,090 in Suwon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Suwon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Pangyo and $420 in Suwon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suwon, where all-in costs run around $1,393, than in Pangyo at $1,438. In Suwon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pangyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suwon – 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 Suwon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pangyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.