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: $1,742 in Seoul versus $1,523 in Busan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $2,376 in Busan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $3,228 in Busan.

Living in Seoul is roughly 14% more expensive than Busan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 30% above, Busan 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$7.07 ₩10.7K

21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$37.26 ₩56.5K

45.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$6.13 ₩9,288

2.77%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$4.15 ₩6,295

-6.51%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$1.86 ₩2,816

-7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$1.38 ₩2,094

-37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$3.71 ₩5,624

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$5.76 ₩8,726

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.33 ₩3,538

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$3.55 ₩5,372

-2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$3.03 ₩4,590

3.30%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$2.96 ₩4,491

7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$10.38 ₩15.7K

36.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$8.47 ₩12.8K

29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$27.30 ₩41.4K

27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$8.50 ₩12.9K

-6.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$3.25 ₩4,924

6.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$7.53 ₩11.4K

-27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$5.32 ₩8,062

25.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$5.17 ₩7,838

-26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.94 ₩4,461

0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$2.00 ₩3,030

31.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.20 ₩1,812

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$3.28 ₩4,969

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$16.73 ₩25.4K

16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$1.74 ₩2,633

39.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.46 ₩5,249

-6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$1.11 ₩1,683

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$44.83 ₩67.9K

6.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$3.50 ₩5,301

1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.79 ₩1,194

-31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$16.82 ₩25.5K

-48.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.23 ₩1,856

1.63%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$27.4K ₩41.6M

2.99%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$25.0K ₩37.8M

1.45%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$190 ₩288.4K

-15.62%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$49.90 ₩75.6K

-31.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$27.21 ₩41.2K

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$52.0 ₩78.8K

9.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$13.24 ₩20.1K

75.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$11.31 ₩17.1K

-1.06%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$497 ₩753.7K

-17.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$14.2K ₩21.5M

66.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$105 ₩158.4K

-43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$64.9 ₩98.3K

-27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$88.2 ₩133.7K

-11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$118 ₩178.6K

-3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$500 ₩756.9K

91.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$320 ₩485.1K

88.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,006 ₩1.5M

156.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$653 ₩989.5K

100.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$9,780 ₩14.8M

85.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$7,054 ₩10.7M

30.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,407 ₩3.6M

28.55%

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 Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Busan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $500 in Busan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 29% 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: $54.0 in Seoul vs $37.00 in Busan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $450 per month, with Busan cheaper across the board.

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 14% 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.

Seoul pays 29% 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: $957 in Seoul versus $500 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 7% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $412 in Seoul versus $497 in Busan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,523 in Busan versus $1,742 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 14% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.