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: $1,342 in Pohang versus $1,269 in Nara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Pohang versus $1,902 in Nara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Pohang versus $2,536 in Nara.

Living in Pohang is roughly 6% more expensive than in Nara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pohang is 0% above, Nara is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 ₩7,532

$6.92 ¥1,123

-26.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩27.2K

$34.80 ¥5,650

-47.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 ₩9,208

$5.65 ¥917

9.56%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩4,272

$3.12 ¥506

-8.01%

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

$1.48 ₩2,208

$1.13 ¥183

30.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩714

$0.73 ¥118

-34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,389

$3.37 ¥548

7.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₩5,414

$3.04 ¥493

19.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₩2,678

$1.60 ¥260

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,698

$1.42 ¥231

122.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,880

$4.81 ¥781

-45.74%

Eggs

$2.99 ₩4,444

$2.43 ¥395

23.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 ₩15.4K

$10.37 ¥1,684

-0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 ₩9,751

$6.47 ¥1,050

1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.64 ₩41.1K

$20.42 ¥3,315

35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₩3,254

$3.50 ¥568

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,794

$2.19 ¥355

47.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.26 ₩10.8K

$2.61 ¥423

178.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,714

$4.40 ¥715

-43.18%

Potato (1kg)

$4.79 ₩7,119

$1.64 ¥266

192.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,369

$1.24 ¥202

137.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,041

$1.38 ¥224

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,730

$0.84 ¥136

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,830

$3.53 ¥572

-7.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₩8,585

$9.04 ¥1,467

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,224

$2.15 ¥349

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩5,127

$2.38 ¥386

44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,575

$2.19 ¥355

-51.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 ¥9,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₩3,630

$3.38 ¥549

-27.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,262

$2.90 ¥470

-70.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩24.5K

$17.13 ¥2,780

-3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,790

$1.23 ¥199

-2.44%

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

$27.6K ₩41.1M

$22.7K ¥3.7M

21.72%

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

$25.1K ₩37.4M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

50.02%

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

$106 ₩157.1K

$131 ¥21.2K

-19.23%

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

$51.0 ₩75.9K

$27.56 ¥4,474

85.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 ₩41.6K

$29.79 ¥4,836

-6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.38 ₩43.7K

$80.9 ¥13.1K

-63.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.13 ₩10.6K

$8.17 ¥1,326

-12.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 ₩16.1K

$12.27 ¥1,991

-11.74%

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

$498 ₩740.1K

$68.5 ¥11.1K

626.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

35.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩153.3K

$44.58 ¥7,238

131.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.32 ₩70.4K

$29.03 ¥4,714

63.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₩130.8K

$56.8 ¥9,219

54.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩164.9K

$90.3 ¥14.7K

22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩667.8K

$434 ¥70.4K

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₩652.6K

$369 ¥60.0K

18.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₩1.6M

$623 ¥101.2K

68.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.1M

$546 ¥88.6K

41.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 ¥436.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 ₩4.0M

$1,939 ¥314.8K

38.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,192 ₩3.3M

$1,119 ¥181.7K

95.78%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nara: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Pohang and $434 in Nara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pohang pays 96% 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 $35.00 in Nara. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $303, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 96% higher in Pohang, 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: $449 in Pohang versus $434 in Nara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Pohang. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,342 per month in Pohang versus $1,269 in Nara – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,269 in Nara versus $1,342 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 6% less than in Pohang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.