Busan vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Busan Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1122
$1461
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3048
$4186
🏠 One person rent
$395
$677
🏘️ Family rent
$821
$1788
🍽️ Food expenses
$472
$526
🚐 Transport expenses
$148
$155
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2421
$2981
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
73
100
😀 Quality of life
89
94
🏙️ Population
3.45M
9.67M

The cost of living in Busan is 23% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4837th and 3861st ($1122 vs $1461) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 13th and 1st in South Korea.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Busan compared to 2 months in Seoul. Ranked 4th vs 2nd best cities to live in South Korea, and 181st vs 43rd among the best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Busan vs Seoul infographic

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Prices in Busan vs Seoul

Prices for goods and services in Busan and Seoul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Busan Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$5.92
$7.68
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$34.7
$40.5
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.87
$5.99
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.56
$3.79
 Cappuccino
$4.09
$3.91
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.86
$1.63
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$423
$827
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$273
$460
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$902
$2513
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$636
$1348
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$74.8
$120
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$114
$184
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$17.5
$23.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.21%
5.14%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$8000
$21201
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$7248
$11781
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.15
$1.14
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$44.1
$47.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$12.3
$9.05
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.22
$1.27
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.17
$2.29
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.21
$3.23
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.99
$3.3
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.36
$3.68
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.9
$13.3
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.91
$9.23
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$28.2
$38.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.36
$7.91
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.31
$3.75
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.55
$5.86
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.13
$6.13
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.43
$4.03
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.51
$3.25
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.8
$0.9
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.14
$2.43
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.1
$22.4
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.85
$2.76
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.38
$3.42
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.71
$5.05
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.08
$5.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.72
$2.35
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.4
$3.13
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$47.1
$54.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$10.4
$11.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$25.1
$25.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.6
$10.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$92.7
$62.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$87.9
$91
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$557
$410
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$14632
$21834

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Busan

Distance City Cost of living
21 km or 13 mi Gimhae
$901
27 km or 16 mi Yangsan
$973
40 km or 25 mi Changwon
$1083
46 km or 28 mi Masan
$1002
50 km or 31 mi Geoje
$893
51 km or 32 mi Miryang
$992
56 km or 35 mi Ulsan
$1099
63 km or 39 mi Tongyeong
$931
64 km or 40 mi Sacheon
$1008
81 km or 50 mi Tsushima Island
$981
84 km or 52 mi Gyeongsan
$1022
85 km or 53 mi Gyeongju
$1341
87 km or 54 mi Jinju
$1146
94 km or 58 mi Daegu
$1114
98 km or 61 mi Yeongcheon
$941
102 km or 64 mi Tsushima
$980
108 km or 67 mi Pohang
$1000
123 km or 77 mi Gwangyang
$999
131 km or 82 mi Yeosu
$981
138 km or 86 mi Gumi
$977
141 km or 88 mi Gimcheon
$995
142 km or 88 mi Suncheon
$1027
154 km or 96 mi Namwon
$1005
162 km or 101 mi Iki
$985
165 km or 103 mi Andong
$871
166 km or 103 mi Sangju
$981
183 km or 113 mi Mungyeong
$992
189 km or 118 mi Jeonju
$915
193 km or 120 mi Gwangju
$1178
195 km or 121 mi Yeongju
$978
198 km or 123 mi Hirado
$968
199 km or 124 mi Munakata
$996
199 km or 124 mi Fukutsu
$1006
200 km or 124 mi Okagaki
$985
201 km or 125 mi Koga
$1015
201 km or 125 mi Shingu
$1020
202 km or 125 mi Itoshima
$1016
202 km or 126 mi Karatsu
$994
204 km or 127 mi Daejeon
$975
205 km or 127 mi Jeongeup
$1000

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1085
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1008
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1038
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1005
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$936
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1074
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1084
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1127
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1087
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1068
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1025
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$941
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1003
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$966
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$988
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1057
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1020
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$990
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$970
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1067
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$968
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$989
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1142
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1049
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1025
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1077
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1567
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1036
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1053
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1041
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$839
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1025
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1140
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1222
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1027
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1098
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$997
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1111
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1562
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1043