Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Busan Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Busan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,752 in Seoul versus $1,558 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Seoul versus $2,474 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,850 in Seoul versus $3,389 in Busan.

Living in Seoul is roughly 12% more expensive than in Busan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 28% above, Busan 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.3K

$7.46 ₩10.1K

30.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩89.2K

$47.19 ₩64.1K

39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,710

$6.64 ₩9,022

7.53%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,467

$3.69 ₩5,020

8.94%

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

$1.64 ₩2,224

$1.83 ₩2,483

-10.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$1.37 ₩1,869

-39.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,877

$3.75 ₩5,098

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,792

$4.09 ₩5,553

40.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,863

$2.24 ₩3,040

-5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,228

$3.05 ₩4,143

1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,779

$3.10 ₩4,214

37.10%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,591

$2.55 ₩3,471

32.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩23.1K

$10.71 ₩14.6K

58.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.7K

$10.37 ₩14.1K

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.8K

$24.66 ₩33.5K

0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩10.0K

$10.92 ₩14.8K

-32.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,718

$3.49 ₩4,746

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,539

$7.82 ₩10.6K

-29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,503

$5.68 ₩7,723

10.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,955

$5.95 ₩8,093

-38.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,307

$3.33 ₩4,531

-27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,707

$2.72 ₩3,698

0.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,468

$1.32 ₩1,791

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,397

$3.23 ₩4,391

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.9K

$18.58 ₩25.3K

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,210

$2.38 ₩3,229

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,247

$3.40 ₩4,628

-8.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,581

$1.12 ₩1,522

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.9K

$57.5 ₩78.2K

-22.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,833

$3.57 ₩4,848

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩795

$0.76 ₩1,029

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.1K

$16.31 ₩22.2K

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,969

$1.36 ₩1,855

6.62%

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

$29.1K ₩39.5M

$28.4K ₩38.7M

2.26%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

$32.5K ₩44.1M

-13.51%

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

$196 ₩267.0K

$195 ₩264.5K

0.96%

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

$34.49 ₩46.9K

$35.82 ₩48.7K

-3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.9K

$26.31 ₩35.8K

-24.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩77.5K

$60.5 ₩82.2K

-5.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.8K

$9.48 ₩12.9K

69.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩15.0K

$11.48 ₩15.6K

-3.83%

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

$1,891 ₩2.6M

$620 ₩842.4K

205.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩30.0M

$21.1K ₩28.7M

4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩76.6K

$104 ₩141.2K

-45.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩44.1K

$63.5 ₩86.3K

-48.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩92.8K

$91.6 ₩124.6K

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩107.9K

$122 ₩165.9K

-34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$705 ₩959.0K

22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩816.9K

$351 ₩477.5K

71.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$1,314 ₩1.8M

90.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$689 ₩937.0K

77.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩38.3M

$10.0K ₩13.6M

180.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.4M

$6,273 ₩8.5M

80.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$2,791 ₩3.8M

24.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.22

-3.32%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Busan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $865 in Seoul and $705 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 25% 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: $66.0 in Seoul vs $47.00 in Busan. Groceries flip the comparison at $464 vs $476, with Seoul 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

Seoul vs Busan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busan wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Seoul, 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: $865 in Seoul versus $705 in Busan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Busan runs roughly 28% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,891 in Seoul versus $620 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,558 in Busan versus $1,752 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busan but tight or insufficient in Seoul. 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, Seoul 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 12% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.