Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,492 in Changwon versus $1,334 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Changwon versus $2,290 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,119 in Changwon versus $3,246 in Jeju.

Living in Changwon is roughly 12% more expensive than Jeju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Changwon 11% above, Jeju 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₩10.9K

$6.71 ₩10.2K

7.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ₩41.5K

$51.2 ₩77.5K

-46.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ₩7,648

$4.04 ₩6,124

25.00%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ₩5,419

$5.21 ₩7,898

-31.29%

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

$1.80 ₩2,728

$2.42 ₩3,660

-25.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₩1,520

$0.72 ₩1,087

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₩4,413

$3.98 ₩6,034

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,569

$5.71 ₩8,658

-23.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₩3,588

$2.14 ₩3,248

10.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,261

$2.25 ₩3,404

54.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,589

$2.23 ₩3,379

35.87%

Eggs

$2.87 ₩4,342

$2.61 ₩3,952

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$10.53 ₩16.0K

-1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 ₩12.2K

$8.47 ₩12.8K

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$27.80 ₩42.1K

-1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$7.66 ₩11.6K

10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₩4,818

$3.12 ₩4,735

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.37 ₩11.2K

$5.68 ₩8,600

29.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 ₩7,935

$5.35 ₩8,109

-2.06%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$3.02 ₩4,576

71.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,481

$1.89 ₩2,865

56.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,054

$2.17 ₩3,292

-6.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,744

$0.46 ₩695

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩5,056

$3.25 ₩4,925

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.44 ₩24.9K

$16.99 ₩25.7K

-3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,531

$1.90 ₩2,881

-12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩5,083

$1.61 ₩2,442

108.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,643

$0.86 ₩1,305

25.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 ₩4,142

$2.53 ₩3,840

7.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₩1,225

$0.53 ₩800

52.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.50 ₩25.0K

$8.57 ₩13.0K

92.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,762

$1.26 ₩1,913

-7.94%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$28.0K ₩42.4M

0.90%

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

$24.8K ₩37.6M

$24.8K ₩37.5M

0.13%

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

$188 ₩284.5K

$159 ₩240.9K

18.09%

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

$50.2 ₩76.1K

$34.67 ₩52.5K

44.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.31 ₩41.4K

$19.46 ₩29.5K

40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 ₩77.5K

$36.23 ₩54.9K

41.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 ₩17.0K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

3.03%

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

$486 ₩736.0K

$367 ₩556.3K

32.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$24.3K ₩36.8M

-41.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩157.7K

$51.3 ₩77.7K

102.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.44 ₩73.4K

$29.51 ₩44.7K

64.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₩135.4K

$66.3 ₩100.5K

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.4K

$89.4 ₩135.5K

31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩681.9K

$501 ₩759.2K

-10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩573.4K

$402 ₩609.2K

-5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 ₩1.6M

$1,017 ₩1.5M

4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 ₩1.2M

$1,149 ₩1.7M

-32.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,479 ₩2.2M

$1,672 ₩2.5M

-11.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

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

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Changwon and $501 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeju pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Changwon vs $51.0 in Jeju. Groceries flip the comparison at $444 vs $401, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

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

Changwon vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Jeju differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,492 vs $1,334 including rent). Jeju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Jeju earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Changwon versus $501 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,492 per month in Changwon versus $1,334 in Jeju – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,492 in Changwon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Jeju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changwon and Jeju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jeju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.