Busan vs Tokyo Cost of Living
Busan (South Korea) · Overall index 42.6 — Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8
Summary
- Overall, Tokyo is 26% more expensive than Busan.
- Rent in Tokyo is 61% more expensive than in Busan.
- Dining out in Tokyo is 25% more expensive than in Busan.
| Item | Busan | Tokyo | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +61% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $743 | $1,307 | +76% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $516 | $782 | +52% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,639 | $2,737 | +67% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,043 | $1,558 | +49% |
| Groceries | +21% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.77 | $0.87 | +13% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.3 | $2.62 | +14% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.29 | $3.43 | +4% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.72 | $3.26 | +20% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.77 | $9.15 | +18% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.81 | $9.77 | +43% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.1 | $14.2 | +41% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.45 | $3.74 | +8% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.33 | $1.62 | +22% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.49 | $3 | +20% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.58 | $4.44 | +24% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.57 | $2.3 | +46% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.73 | $2.06 | +19% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.69 | -1% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.5 | $1.8 | +20% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $8.62 | $11.4 | +32% |
| Transport | +18% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.47 | $1.65 | +12% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $65.4 | $75.4 | +15% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.13 | $2.32 | +9% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.96 | $1.23 | +28% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.47 | $0.58 | +23% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,925 | $18,186 | +22% |
| Dining out | +25% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.1 | $13.8 | +14% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $67.7 | $70.3 | +4% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.88 | $7.88 | +15% |
| Cappuccino | $2.62 | $3.87 | +48% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.54 | $1.65 | +7% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.55 | $4.95 | +39% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.95 | $5.82 | +47% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.01 | $1.35 | +34% |
| Telecom | +20% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $40.7 | $41.5 | +2% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.7 | $52.1 | +28% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.26 | +37% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $12.7 | +19% |
| Utilities & household | +20% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $112 | $126 | +13% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.15 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.76 | $3.07 | +11% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.93 | $1.05 | +13% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12.8 | $16.3 | +27% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $46.6 | $62.2 | +33% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.04 | $9.79 | +8% |
| Men's haircut | $17.8 | $23.3 | +31% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $13.6 | $18.8 | +38% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,353 | $1,434 | +6% |
2,853 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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