Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,664 in Seongnam versus $1,531 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,474 in Seongnam versus $2,395 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,283 in Seongnam versus $3,259 in Busan.

Living in Seongnam is roughly 9% more expensive than in Busan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seongnam 25% above, Busan 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩8,359

$7.05 ₩10.1K

-17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.83 ₩60.2K

$36.34 ₩52.3K

15.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 ₩6,376

$5.88 ₩8,455

-24.66%

Cappuccino

$3.97 ₩5,705

$4.00 ₩5,753

-0.75%

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

$1.53 ₩2,199

$1.87 ₩2,690

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,138

$1.37 ₩1,977

-42.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ₩3,806

$3.64 ₩5,230

-27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₩5,151

$6.00 ₩8,624

-40.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,074

$2.26 ₩3,246

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 ₩2,962

$3.55 ₩5,110

-41.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,522

$2.97 ₩4,277

5.72%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,588

$2.98 ₩4,288

7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₩13.4K

$10.35 ₩14.9K

-9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ₩11.2K

$8.36 ₩12.0K

-6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.54 ₩48.2K

$27.82 ₩40.0K

20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 ₩10.8K

$8.59 ₩12.4K

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩4,976

$3.11 ₩4,479

11.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩8,113

$7.24 ₩10.4K

-22.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩9,490

$5.27 ₩7,581

25.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,044

$5.28 ₩7,587

-33.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,102

$2.92 ₩4,196

-2.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,604

$2.02 ₩2,901

24.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₩1,382

$1.16 ₩1,671

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,878

$3.34 ₩4,799

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 ₩24.5K

$17.27 ₩24.8K

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,662

$1.73 ₩2,495

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₩2,671

$3.30 ₩4,751

-43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,575

$1.16 ₩1,663

-5.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.92 ₩64.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩5,228

$3.51 ₩5,042

3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩769

$0.84 ₩1,213

-36.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.89 ₩12.8K

$16.69 ₩24.0K

-46.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,708

$1.16 ₩1,666

2.59%

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

$27.2K ₩39.1M

$27.8K ₩39.9M

-2.02%

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

$25.2K ₩36.2M

$24.7K ₩35.5M

1.96%

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

$167 ₩239.5K

$188 ₩269.7K

-11.18%

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

$34.40 ₩49.5K

$50.3 ₩72.4K

-31.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 ₩31.6K

$27.92 ₩40.2K

-21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.71 ₩68.6K

$51.8 ₩74.4K

-7.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.98 ₩18.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.1K

$11.46 ₩16.5K

-2.27%

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

$413 ₩593.6K

$481 ₩691.2K

-14.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩33.4M

$14.3K ₩20.6M

62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩83.5K

$103 ₩148.0K

-43.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.33 ₩68.1K

$66.1 ₩95.0K

-28.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₩115.7K

$87.8 ₩126.3K

-8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩169.0K

$119 ₩171.5K

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩636.4K

$499 ₩717.9K

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₩964.7K

$324 ₩466.2K

106.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ₩1.5M

$994 ₩1.4M

7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₩1.5M

$663 ₩953.4K

52.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,307 ₩10.5M

$9,574 ₩13.8M

-23.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,184 ₩7.5M

$7,200 ₩10.4M

-28.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 ₩3.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Seongnam: July 28, 2026

Last update for Busan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Seongnam and $499 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Seongnam vs $36.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $434 vs $449, with Seongnam 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

Seongnam vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seongnam and Busan differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,664 vs $1,531 including rent). Busan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,496 in Seongnam and $2,297 in Busan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $442 in Seongnam versus $499 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Seongnam pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,664 per month in Seongnam versus $1,531 in Busan – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,531 in Busan versus $1,664 in Seongnam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Seongnam. The gap between the two cities makes Busan 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, Seongnam and Busan 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 Busan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Seongnam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.