The cost of living in Korea (by city): Seoul vs Busan vs Daegu vs Jeju
If you’re already living here—or you’re planning a move—one of the first “wait… how much?!” moments is realizing Korea’s monthly costs are pretty predictable, but housing deposits and your lifestyle can swing the total a lot.
Below is a friendly, city-by-city guide to the cost of living in Korea, with realistic monthly numbers for Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and Jeju, plus a few expat-style budget examples you can steal.
1) The 4 monthly costs that shape your Korea life
Rent (and the deposit surprise)
Most people talk about “monthly rent,” but Korea’s rental system often includes a big deposit called 보증금 (bojeunggeum). Two common setups:
- Jeonse (전세): big deposit, little-to-no monthly rent; deposit returned at the end of the contract.
- Wolse (월세): deposit + monthly rent.
For this post, I’m focusing on monthly rent, but keep the deposit in mind when planning your move-in budget.
Transportation
If you mostly use public transit, Korea is very livable without a car—especially in Seoul and Busan. In Seoul, the subway base fare (transit card) is currently ₩1,550, and bus/subway transfers are integrated when you tap correctly.
Seoul also has the Climate Card (a 30-day unlimited pass) starting at ₩65,000 for subway/bus, with options that include Seoul Bike.
Communication (phone + home internet)
Prices vary depending on whether you’re on a major carrier plan, an 알뜰폰 (budget/MVNO) plan, or a short-term SIM. A practical baseline is: phone + internet usually lands somewhere around ₩70,000–₩110,000 total per month for many people, depending on city and plan choices.
Food (the fun category)
Food is where Korea can feel either cheap or expensive, depending on your habits. Local meals can be very affordable, but frequent cafés, delivery, and imported items can push your budget up quickly.
2) Monthly living expenses by city (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Jeju)
Here are typical monthly ranges for a solo renter. Rent is shown as “1-bedroom apartment” estimates (city center vs outside). (Remember: deposits are separate and can be significant.)
| City | Rent (1BR) | Transportation | Communication (phone + internet) | Food (realistic range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | ₩0.80M–₩1.29M | ₩65k–₩120k (Climate Card helps if you ride often) | ₩70k–₩90k | ₩450k–₩900k (depends on cafés + delivery) |
| Busan | ₩0.50M–₩0.89M | ₩60k–₩110k | ₩90k–₩110k | ₩400k–₩800k |
| Daegu | ₩0.36M–₩0.56M | ₩50k–₩100k | ₩85k–₩100k | ₩350k–₩750k |
| Jeju | ₩0.54M–₩0.67M | ₩70k–₩120k (bus) or ₩200k+ (if car life) | ₩90k–₩110k | ₩400k–₩850k (tourist areas add up) |
Plain-English takeaways:
- Seoul costs more mainly because of rent (and it’s easy to spend more on cafés and delivery).
- Busan often feels like the sweet spot: big-city convenience with generally lower rent than Seoul.
- Daegu is frequently the winner for affordable rent while still feeling like a full city.
- Jeju can look affordable on paper, but a car + weekend adventures can raise your monthly costs fast.
3) Case-based budget guides (foreigner-friendly, real-life style)
Case A: “I’m new here and watching my spending” (Daegu, solo)
- Rent (outside center 1BR): ~₩365k
- Transport: ₩70k
- Phone + internet: ₩60k–₩90k
- Food: ₩350k–₩500k (cook + local lunch spots)
Target total: ₩0.85M–₩1.05M / month (plus utilities and your deposit)
Food discovery tip: look for 백반 (baekban) spots—set meals with lots of side dishes. Point to the menu and say: “이거 하나요 (igeo hanayo)” = “One of this, please.”
Case B: “I want the full Seoul experience” (Seoul, solo, moderate lifestyle)
- Rent (1BR): ~₩0.80M–₩1.29M depending on location
- Transport: ₩65,000 Climate Card if you ride often
- Phone + internet: ~₩75k
- Food: ₩600k–₩950k (mix of local meals + café life + delivery)
Target total: ₩1.55M–₩2.35M / month
Two useful phrases for housing viewings:
- “보증금 얼마예요?” (bojeunggeum eolmayeyo?) = “How much is the deposit?”
- “관리비 포함이에요?” (gwanlibi poham-ieyo?) = “Is maintenance fee included?”
Case C: “Island life, but I still want comfort” (Jeju, solo or couple)
Solo (bus-focused):
- Rent: ~₩540k–₩669k
- Transport: ₩90k–₩120k
- Phone + internet: ~₩98k
- Food: ₩450k–₩850k
Target total: ₩1.08M–₩1.74M / month
If you add a car (common on Jeju), budget extra for fuel, insurance, parking, and spontaneous road-trip snacks. That’s often the real “Jeju tax.”
Conclusion: your Korea budget can be comfy—if you plan for the Korea-specific stuff
The cost of living in Korea is manageable for many foreigners once you understand:
- Rent + deposits (보증금)
- Transit habits (passes can be a game-changer in Seoul)
- Food lifestyle (markets and local meals vs café/delivery culture)
If you tell me your city (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, or Jeju) plus your vibe (frugal / balanced / “treat myself”) and whether you’ll live alone, I can help you build a personalized monthly living budget.
Already living in Korea? What surprised you most about your spending here—rent, groceries, coffee, or something totally random? Drop your questions or experiences!
