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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Pohang is roughly 4% more expensive than Nara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 ₩8,018

$6.77 ¥1,082

-22.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩28.0K

$34.37 ¥5,498

-46.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ₩9,412

$5.66 ¥905

8.48%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₩4,565

$3.03 ¥484

-1.65%

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

$1.44 ₩2,208

$1.09 ¥174

32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₩787

$0.72 ¥115

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,741

$3.40 ¥544

10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₩5,546

$3.21 ¥514

12.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₩2,747

$1.53 ¥244

16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,854

$1.50 ¥240

111.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$4.63 ¥740

-45.36%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,547

$2.46 ¥393

20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$10.63 ¥1,700

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,860

$6.34 ¥1,014

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$20.80 ¥3,326

30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₩3,331

$3.66 ¥586

-40.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,771

$2.18 ¥349

42.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.4K

$2.52 ¥404

196.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ₩4,030

$4.32 ¥691

-39.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.89 ₩7,485

$1.73 ¥276

182.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,494

$1.29 ¥206

127.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,093

$1.37 ¥219

47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,785

$0.90 ¥144

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,102

$3.38 ¥541

-1.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 ₩12.9K

$9.36 ¥1,496

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₩2,280

$2.06 ¥330

-27.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,163

$2.36 ¥378

42.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,691

$2.24 ¥358

-50.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ¥8,987

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₩3,782

$3.41 ¥546

-27.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,313

$2.95 ¥472

-70.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 ₩25.1K

$17.42 ¥2,786

-5.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,864

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$28.0K ₩42.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

20.79%

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

$24.9K ₩38.2M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

46.08%

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

$106 ₩162.2K

$135 ¥21.6K

-21.44%

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

$50.1 ₩76.8K

$27.21 ¥4,352

84.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$30.70 ¥4,910

-11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 ₩45.2K

$81.2 ¥13.0K

-63.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 ₩11.0K

$8.21 ¥1,313

-12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩16.8K

$12.41 ¥1,985

-11.52%

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

$491 ₩752.6K

$69.9 ¥11.2K

602.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩22.1M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩159.3K

$44.02 ¥7,040

136.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 ₩73.3K

$29.28 ¥4,683

63.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 ₩133.5K

$55.6 ¥8,900

56.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$90.8 ¥14.5K

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩682.9K

$435 ¥69.5K

2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 ₩654.6K

$370 ¥59.1K

15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 ₩1.6M

$624 ¥99.9K

70.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.2M

$554 ¥88.6K

40.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 ¥435.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₩4.0M

$1,984 ¥317.3K

31.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,229 ₩3.4M

$1,131 ¥180.9K

97.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

1.78

137.08%

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

Last update for Pohang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nara: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Pohang and $435 in Nara. 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: $18.00 in Pohang vs $34.00 in Nara. Groceries flip the comparison at $363 vs $305, 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

Pohang vs Nara: 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.

Pohang pays 97% 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: $446 in Pohang versus $435 in Nara. 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 $1,333 per month in Pohang versus $1,284 in Nara – 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, Pohang and Nara 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.