Global CityIntelligence

Economy & jobs

Economy and jobs in Busan

Busan has a manufacturing-oriented economy with strengths in manufacturing, automotive and technology.

Economy type
Industrial city
Economy score
80/100

Economy overview

Busan has a manufacturing-oriented economy with strengths in manufacturing, automotive and technology.

Busan, South Korea is classified as a industrial city in our deterministic economy index. These are planning estimates derived from country economic priors and existing city signals — not measured GDP or labour-market statistics. Data year 2025; last updated 2026-05-16.

Key industries

The sectors that most shape the local economy, derived deterministically from country and city signals.

Key industries

  • Manufacturing
  • Automotive
  • Technology
  • Research
  • Education
  • Telecommunications

Employment outlook

The breadth of the labour market and where opportunities concentrate.

Employment outlook

Employment78/100
Job market81/100

Busan's labour market is very strong, with opportunities concentrated in manufacturing, technology and education and research.

Salary potential

Estimated pay levels and how far local incomes stretch against the cost of living.

Salary potential

Salary potential81/100
Affordability-adjusted income77/100

The affordability-adjusted income score combines estimated pay with the local cost of living, indicating how far a typical income stretches in Busan.

Business environment

Conditions for operating and growing a business locally.

Business environment

Business environment82/100

This reflects infrastructure, institutional capacity, and the scale of the local market relative to peer cities.

Startup ecosystem

How supportive the local ecosystem is for new ventures.

Startup ecosystem

Startup ecosystem79/100
Innovation83/100

The startup ecosystem in Busan is strong, supported by universities and skilled talent, a favourable business environment and strong infrastructure.

Remote work suitability

Suitability for remote and distributed work.

Remote work suitability

Remote work83/100
Remote job availability86/100

Busan offers strong infrastructure and amenities for remote professionals, with a remote-work score of 83/100.

Career opportunities

Overall career opportunity and how it breaks down by sector.

Career opportunities

Overall career opportunity82/100
Technology83/100
Healthcare69/100
Finance65/100
Manufacturing85/100
Tourism63/100
Education72/100

Economy score

A 0–100 composite of employment, salary, business environment, startups, innovation, remote work, and affordability-adjusted income. Used consistently across the platform.

Economy score

Economy score80/100
Employment78/100
Salary81/100
Business environment82/100
Startup ecosystem79/100
Innovation83/100
Remote work83/100

Jobs score

A 0–100 labour-market composite and its sector components.

Jobs score

Job market81/100
Technology83/100
Healthcare69/100
Finance65/100
Manufacturing85/100
Tourism63/100
Education72/100
Remote availability86/100
Career opportunity82/100

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