Busan vs Seoul Cost of Living
Busan (South Korea) · Overall index 42.6 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 25% more expensive than Busan.
- Rent in Seoul is 59% more expensive than in Busan.
- Dining out in Seoul is 26% more expensive than in Busan.
| Item | Busan | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +59% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $743 | $1,128 | +52% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $516 | $885 | +72% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,639 | $2,631 | +61% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,043 | $1,576 | +51% |
| Groceries | +20% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.77 | $0.97 | +26% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.3 | $3.03 | +32% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.29 | $3.33 | +1% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.72 | $3.32 | +22% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.77 | $9.47 | +22% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.81 | $8.39 | +23% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.1 | $14.8 | +47% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.45 | $4.15 | +20% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.33 | $1.53 | +15% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.49 | $3.36 | +35% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.58 | $3.73 | +4% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.57 | $2.22 | +41% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.73 | $1.86 | +8% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.71 | 0% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.5 | $1.67 | +11% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $8.62 | $11.7 | +36% |
| Transport | +21% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.47 | $1.68 | +14% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $65.4 | $68.9 | +5% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.13 | $2.76 | +30% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.96 | $1.34 | +40% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.47 | $0.53 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,925 | $18,844 | +26% |
| Dining out | +26% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.1 | $14.8 | +22% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $67.7 | $84.8 | +25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.88 | $7.96 | +16% |
| Cappuccino | $2.62 | $3.11 | +19% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.54 | $1.89 | +23% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.55 | $4.53 | +28% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.95 | $5.53 | +40% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.01 | $1.43 | +42% |
| Telecom | +12% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $40.7 | $45.1 | +11% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.7 | $47.3 | +16% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.22 | +16% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $11.3 | +6% |
| Utilities & household | +20% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $112 | $130 | +16% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.16 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.76 | $3.13 | +13% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.93 | $1.03 | +11% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12.8 | $15.9 | +24% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $46.6 | $60.9 | +31% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.04 | $9.46 | +5% |
| Men's haircut | $17.8 | $22.9 | +29% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $13.6 | $16.6 | +22% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,353 | $1,561 | +15% |
2,899 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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