Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucheon and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Bucheon vs $1,079 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,350 per month in Bucheon vs $1,866 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,217 per month in Bucheon vs $2,652 in Jeju, rent included.

Bucheon costs about 37% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bucheon sits 8% above the global median, while Jeju is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.62 ₩12.9K

$7.55 ₩10.1K

27.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 ₩90.6K

$51.7 ₩69.3K

30.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ₩10.0K

$5.52 ₩7,396

35.51%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ₩5,442

$5.89 ₩7,898

-31.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,154

$2.15 ₩2,888

-25.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,093

$1.97 ₩2,647

-58.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,900

$3.48 ₩4,670

4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 ₩7,946

$2.93 ₩3,934

102.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩2,874

$2.26 ₩3,037

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 ₩4,101

$2.28 ₩3,054

34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,650

$2.25 ₩3,011

87.11%

Eggs

$3.43 ₩4,600

$2.59 ₩3,471

32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 ₩23.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 ₩13.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.48 ₩34.2K

Apples (1kg)

$7.84 ₩10.5K

Banana (1kg)

$3.37 ₩4,524

$2.21 ₩2,968

52.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 ₩7,760

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 ₩8,576

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 ₩5,001

$3.02 ₩4,055

23.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₩3,321

$1.81 ₩2,429

37.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,739

$2.20 ₩2,948

26.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,446

$0.43 ₩577

151.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,430

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 ₩25.0K

$11.36 ₩15.2K

64.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₩3,275

$1.89 ₩2,541

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₩4,133

$1.66 ₩2,220

85.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₩1,365

$1.00 ₩1,343

2.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,677

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩783

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ₩12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₩1,964

$1.32 ₩1,769

10.61%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K ₩39.9M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.0K ₩37.5M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$201 ₩269.7K

$208 ₩278.9K

-3.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.42 ₩47.5K

$54.0 ₩72.4K

-34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.90 ₩26.7K

$19.21 ₩25.8K

3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ₩70.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ₩15.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 ₩15.1K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$569 ₩762.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.8M

$25.2K ₩33.8M

-8.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩77.7K

$50.3 ₩67.5K

15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.85 ₩44.1K

$29.85 ₩40.0K

10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₩94.6K

$65.3 ₩87.5K

8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 ₩108.1K

$88.2 ₩118.3K

-8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩593.2K

$461 ₩618.7K

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ₩436.0K

$381 ₩510.6K

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 ₩1.6M

$1,315 ₩1.8M

-10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₩838.3K

$1,152 ₩1.5M

-45.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,956 ₩9.3M

$10.6K ₩14.2M

-34.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,459 ₩7.3M

$6,719 ₩9.0M

-18.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,485 ₩2.0M

$1,863 ₩2.5M

-20.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bucheon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Jeju: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Bucheon versus $461 in Jeju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Jeju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bucheon versus $52.0 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $140 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bucheon vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Bucheon, $1,079 in Jeju – roughly 37% apart. Bucheon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,226 per month in Bucheon and $1,619 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bucheon and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Bucheon and $1,079 in Jeju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,079, than in Bucheon at $1,484. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bucheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.