Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Ulsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangyo and Ulsan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Pangyo vs $1,444 in Ulsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,272 per month in Pangyo vs $2,188 in Ulsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,071 per month in Pangyo vs $2,932 in Ulsan, rent included.

Pangyo costs about 2% more than Ulsan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pangyo and Ulsan sit above the global median – Pangyo by 10%, Ulsan by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 ₩10.9K

$6.46 ₩9,791

11.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.12 ₩54.7K

$29.90 ₩45.3K

20.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ₩8,463

$4.83 ₩7,313

15.73%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₩5,987

$3.15 ₩4,766

25.40%

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

$1.52 ₩2,301

$1.12 ₩1,691

35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,264

$0.39 ₩591

112.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₩4,987

$2.60 ₩3,935

26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 ₩7,675

$3.29 ₩4,984

54.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,256

$1.74 ₩2,640

23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₩4,676

$2.19 ₩3,315

41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,703

$1.79 ₩2,717

73.18%

Eggs

$3.01 ₩4,564

$2.88 ₩4,362

4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.1K

$10.55 ₩16.0K

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 ₩12.1K

$8.30 ₩12.6K

-3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.61 ₩41.8K

$27.12 ₩41.1K

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 ₩12.1K

$7.16 ₩10.8K

11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,903

$3.28 ₩4,975

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 ₩8,271

$7.29 ₩11.0K

-25.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,805

$4.43 ₩6,712

16.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 ₩6,006

$3.74 ₩5,662

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,509

$2.47 ₩3,738

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₩3,239

$2.08 ₩3,151

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,744

$0.90 ₩1,365

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,876

$3.32 ₩5,032

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 ₩24.9K

$16.65 ₩25.2K

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₩2,866

$1.69 ₩2,560

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩5,042

$3.47 ₩5,260

-4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,694

$0.94 ₩1,418

19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 ₩72.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,466

$2.40 ₩3,630

50.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩802

$0.79 ₩1,191

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 ₩13.2K

$16.48 ₩25.0K

-47.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,780

$1.18 ₩1,785

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

$27.4K ₩41.5M

$27.6K ₩41.9M

-0.78%

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

$24.8K ₩37.6M

$25.2K ₩38.2M

-1.66%

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

$162 ₩245.9K

$187 ₩283.3K

-13.21%

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

$35.40 ₩53.6K

$50.3 ₩76.2K

-29.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 ₩33.1K

$27.92 ₩42.3K

-21.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 ₩71.2K

$59.4 ₩90.0K

-20.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.70 ₩51.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 ₩16.6K

$10.27 ₩15.6K

6.82%

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

$419 ₩634.3K

$252 ₩382.6K

65.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.6M

$13.9K ₩21.0M

69.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩88.0K

$102 ₩154.3K

-43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.49 ₩73.5K

$47.53 ₩72.0K

2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ₩119.2K

$87.0 ₩131.7K

-9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.2K

$115 ₩174.9K

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₩691.2K

$275 ₩416.9K

65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₩577.4K

$371 ₩562.0K

2.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 ₩1.6M

$1,055 ₩1.6M

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₩1.2M

$764 ₩1.2M

0.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,529 ₩14.4M

$3,918 ₩5.9M

143.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,255 ₩8.0M

$2,353 ₩3.6M

123.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,598 ₩7.0M

$2,022 ₩3.1M

127.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.50%

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

Last update for Pangyo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Pangyo versus $275 in Ulsan. 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 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 $36.00 in Pangyo versus $30.00 in Ulsan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $428 vs $403 – making Ulsan 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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pangyo is pricier by about 2%, 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 $2,209 per month in Pangyo and $2,166 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,472 in Pangyo and $1,444 in Ulsan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $419 per month in Pangyo and $252 in Ulsan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,444, than in Pangyo at $1,472. In Ulsan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pangyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulsan – 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 Ulsan. 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.