Bangkok vs Busan Cost of Living
Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1 — Busan (South Korea) · Overall index 42.6
Summary
- Overall, Busan is 18% more expensive than Bangkok.
- Transport in Busan is 36% more expensive than in Bangkok.
- Dining out in Busan is 26% more expensive than in Bangkok.
| Item | Bangkok | Busan | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -5% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $785 | $743 | -5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $630 | $516 | -18% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,512 | $1,639 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,069 | $1,043 | -2% |
| Groceries | +20% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.61 | $0.77 | +26% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.14 | $2.3 | +7% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.56 | $3.29 | +29% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | $2.72 | +8% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.93 | $7.77 | +12% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.15 | $6.81 | +11% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.3 | $10.1 | -2% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.84 | $3.45 | +21% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.93 | $1.33 | +43% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.4 | $2.49 | +4% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.38 | $3.58 | +50% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.38 | $1.57 | +14% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.39 | $1.73 | +24% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.2 | $1.71 | +43% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | $1.5 | +23% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.66 | $8.62 | +13% |
| Transport | +36% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.01 | $1.47 | +46% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $44.6 | $65.4 | +47% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.59 | $2.13 | +34% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.81 | $0.96 | +19% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.47 | +27% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,133 | $14,925 | +47% |
| Dining out | +26% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.84 | $12.1 | +37% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $47.5 | $67.7 | +43% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.21 | $6.88 | +32% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.62 | +22% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.11 | $1.54 | +39% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.3 | $3.55 | +8% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.74 | $3.95 | +6% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.78 | $1.01 | +29% |
| Telecom | +15% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.4 | $40.7 | +22% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $37.1 | $40.7 | +10% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.19 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $10.7 | +29% |
| Utilities & household | +24% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.5 | $112 | +37% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.12 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.32 | $2.76 | +19% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.67 | $0.93 | +39% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.8 | $12.8 | +19% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $37.2 | $46.6 | +25% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.95 | $9.04 | +14% |
| Men's haircut | $15.5 | $17.8 | +15% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.7 | $13.6 | +7% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $991 | $1,353 | +37% |
3,052 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs