Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyeongtaek and Busan

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyeongtaek: $1,437 a month against $1,812 in Busan, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

69

Cost of Living Index in Pyeongtaek
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Pyeongtaek Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Busan
Learn more

Busan Living Index

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Pyeongtaek

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,437

/mo nomad

Busan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,812

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pyeongtaek and in Busan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pyeongtaek and in Busan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Pyeongtaek versus $1,812 in Busan.

Pyeongtaek $1,437
Busan $1,812

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,812 in Pyeongtaek versus $2,952 in Busan.

Pyeongtaek $2,812
Busan $2,952

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,187 in Pyeongtaek versus $4,091 in Busan.

Pyeongtaek $4,187
Busan $4,091

Living in Pyeongtaek costs roughly 21% less than in Busan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pyeongtaek 6% above, Busan 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 ₩9,890

$7.34 ₩9,859

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.60 ₩30.4K

$48.83 ₩65.6K

-53.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ₩6,583

$6.59 ₩8,851

-25.64%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩4,855

$3.75 ₩5,042

-3.73%

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

$1.23 ₩1,648

$1.78 ₩2,386

-30.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₩1,175

$1.45 ₩1,942

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 ₩5,119

$3.67 ₩4,933

3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ₩5,650

$4.33 ₩5,824

-3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 ₩3,060

$2.32 ₩3,116

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,328

$3.24 ₩4,351

-0.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,124

Eggs

$2.60 ₩3,494

$2.71 ₩3,636

-4.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ₩14.5K

$11.00 ₩14.8K

-2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 ₩14.2K

$10.52 ₩14.1K

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.87 ₩33.4K

$25.00 ₩33.6K

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$11.13 ₩15.0K

$11.04 ₩14.8K

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩4,845

$3.65 ₩4,900

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 ₩10.5K

$7.91 ₩10.6K

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 ₩7,798

$5.78 ₩7,773

0.35%

Potato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩8,070

$5.87 ₩7,888

2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ₩4,514

$3.25 ₩4,372

3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 ₩3,808

$2.72 ₩3,652

4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,768

$1.26 ₩1,698

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,438

$3.31 ₩4,447

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 ₩25.1K

$18.92 ₩25.4K

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₩3,189

$2.42 ₩3,253

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₩4,808

$3.64 ₩4,889

-1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ₩1,697

$1.18 ₩1,583

6.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.59 ₩62.6K

$68.1 ₩91.4K

-31.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,886

$3.60 ₩4,843

1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₩797

$0.66 ₩893

-10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 ₩12.1K

$14.88 ₩20.0K

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₩1,812

$1.36 ₩1,831

-0.74%

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

$14.9K ₩20.0M

$40.0K ₩53.7M

-62.87%

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

$15.1K ₩20.3M

$33.0K ₩44.3M

-54.32%

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

$202 ₩271.8K

$197 ₩264.6K

2.73%

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

$16.75 ₩22.5K

$35.89 ₩48.2K

-53.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.48 ₩35.6K

$26.71 ₩35.9K

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ₩68.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.86 ₩13.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 ₩16.0K

$11.71 ₩15.7K

1.79%

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

$622 ₩836.0K

$624 ₩838.2K

-0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K ₩29.0M

$22.0K ₩29.6M

-2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩137.4K

$104 ₩140.1K

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 ₩87.6K

$65.9 ₩88.6K

-1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₩123.2K

$92.2 ₩123.9K

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ₩169.6K

$129 ₩172.7K

-1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩692.9K

$753 ₩1.0M

-31.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩403.2K

$575 ₩773.0K

-47.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 ₩2.5M

$2,202 ₩3.0M

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 ₩2.5M

$1,386 ₩1.9M

31.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,126 ₩6.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,249 ₩4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,832 ₩2.5M

$2,658 ₩3.6M

-31.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Pyeongtaek: November 1, 2026

Last update for Busan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Pyeongtaek

$483 33.6%

Busan

$484 26.7% 0.2% $0.8

Accommodation & Living

Pyeongtaek

$300 20.9%

Busan

$575 31.7% 91.7% $275

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pyeongtaek

$245 17.1%

Busan

$259 14.3% 5.7% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Pyeongtaek

$173 12.1%

Busan

$176 9.7% 1.4% $2.5

Eating Out

Pyeongtaek

$153 10.6%

Busan

$163 9% 6.9% $11

Getting Around

Pyeongtaek

$58 4.1%

Busan

$80 4.4% 36.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Pyeongtaek

$24 * 1.7%

Busan

$74 4.1% 212% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Pyeongtaek and $753 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Pyeongtaek vs $49 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $484 per month, with Pyeongtaek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Pyeongtaek

🇰🇷 Busan

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

Same time as Pyeongtaek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

489,081

3,586,079

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Pyeongtaek vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyeongtaek wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Pyeongtaek the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Pyeongtaek. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $516 in Pyeongtaek versus $753 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pyeongtaek runs roughly 32% less than in Busan. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $1,437 per month in Pyeongtaek versus $1,812 in Busan – Pyeongtaek is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Pyeongtaek gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Safety-wise, Pyeongtaek and Busan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Pyeongtaek wins on affordability, Busan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.