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Daegu vs Gyeongju cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ท Daegu
๐ฐ๐ท Gyeongju
At a glance
- Where Gyeongju is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (70%โ), Scooter rental (20%โ)
- Where Daegu is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (75%โ), Street food (33%โ), Coffee (18%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Daegu is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Daegu 1 vs Gyeongju 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Daegu | Gyeongju | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฉ 9,500$6.88 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Daegu โ5% |
| Street food1 item | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | โฉ 6,000$4.35 | Daegu โ33% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฉ 25,000$18.1 | โฉ 25,000$18.1 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โฉ 4,500$3.26 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Daegu โ18% |
| Beerone bottle | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | similar |
| Bottled water | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | โฉ 1,800$1.3 | Gyeongju โ10% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฉ 7,100$5.14 | โฉ 7,300$5.29 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฉ 4,700$3.41 | โฉ 4,800$3.48 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | Gyeongju โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฉ 85,000$61.6 | โฉ 100,000$72.5 | Daegu โ15% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฉ 450,000$326 | โฉ 450,000$326 | similar |
| Laundry | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | โฉ 8,000$5.8 | Gyeongju โ11% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฉ 14,000$10.1 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Daegu โ7% |
| Massage1 hour | โฉ 60,000$43.5 | โฉ 60,000$43.5 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | โฉ 40,000$29 | Daegu โ75% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | Gyeongju โ70% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Daegu or Gyeongju?
Daegu is 10% cheaper than Gyeongju. Daily budget $122 vs $135; a month $1,741 vs $1,928.
Which is easier to travel, Daegu or Gyeongju?
Daegu is easier: Daegu 1.4/5 vs Gyeongju 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Daegu and Gyeongju?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Daegu is about $1,741 and Gyeongju about $1,928 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.