Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,467 in Cheonan, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. The total is higher in Cheonan despite lower rent and utilities.

71

Cost of Living Index in Cheonan
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Cheonan Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
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Jeju Living Index

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Cheonan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,467

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cheonan and in Jeju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cheonan and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Cheonan vs $1,107 in Jeju, rent included.

Cheonan $1,467
Jeju $1,107

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Cheonan vs $1,900 in Jeju, rent included.

Cheonan $2,259
Jeju $1,900

A family of three spends $3,051 per month in Cheonan vs $2,694 in Jeju, rent included.

Cheonan $3,051
Jeju $2,694

Cheonan costs about 33% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cheonan sits 9% above the global median, while Jeju is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 ₩10.0K

$7.40 ₩9,835

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.63 ₩30.1K

$53.2 ₩70.7K

-57.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₩5,693

$5.44 ₩7,233

-21.32%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₩1,951

$5.75 ₩7,640

-74.43%

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

$1.16 ₩1,538

$2.21 ₩2,945

-47.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₩1,867

$1.94 ₩2,575

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₩3,031

$3.44 ₩4,578

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ₩5,853

$3.05 ₩4,050

44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₩2,125

$2.26 ₩2,998

-29.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,287

$2.30 ₩3,060

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,078

$2.21 ₩2,941

38.91%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,476

$2.59 ₩3,444

0.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₩14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₩13.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.11 ₩33.4K

Apples (1kg)

$11.23 ₩14.9K

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 ₩4,965

$2.16 ₩2,867

72.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.07 ₩10.7K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ₩8,035

Potato (1kg)

$6.10 ₩8,106

$3.04 ₩4,047

100.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ₩4,438

$1.85 ₩2,454

80.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 ₩3,651

$2.19 ₩2,908

25.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,765

$0.47 ₩620

182.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,494

Wine (Bottle)

$18.30 ₩24.3K

$11.22 ₩14.9K

63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₩3,229

$1.87 ₩2,490

29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,454

$1.65 ₩2,200

103.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,509

$1.03 ₩1,370

10.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 ₩4,050

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,036

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.69 ₩22.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,650

$1.33 ₩1,762

-6.77%

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

$29.7K ₩39.5M

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

$34.2K ₩45.5M

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

$199 ₩264.9K

$216 ₩287.8K

-7.98%

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

$35.67 ₩47.4K

$53.7 ₩71.4K

-33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.08 ₩36.0K

$19.50 ₩25.9K

38.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ₩15.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 ₩16.1K

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

$636 ₩845.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K ₩28.6M

$25.3K ₩33.6M

-14.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₩88.0K

$51.6 ₩68.6K

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 ₩79.1K

$30.38 ₩40.4K

95.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 ₩123.1K

$66.5 ₩88.5K

39.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ₩168.9K

$89.7 ₩119.2K

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₩636.1K

$462 ₩614.5K

3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₩479.5K

$381 ₩506.9K

-5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 ₩1.5M

$1,369 ₩1.8M

-15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₩982.3K

$1,174 ₩1.6M

-37.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 ₩9.6M

$10.3K ₩13.8M

-30.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,422 ₩7.2M

$6,733 ₩9.0M

-19.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 ₩2.4M

$1,856 ₩2.5M

-1.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Cheonan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Cheonan

$480 32.8%

Jeju

$140 * 12.7% 70.8% $340

Accommodation & Living

Cheonan

$361 24.6%

Jeju

$381 34.5% 5.7% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cheonan

$262 17.9%

Jeju

$290 26.2% 10.6% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Cheonan

$155 10.6%

Jeju

$107 9.7% 31% $48

Eating Out

Cheonan

$121 8.3%

Jeju

$184 16.7% 52.2% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Cheonan

$76 5.2%

Jeju

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Cheonan

$11 * 0.8%

Jeju

$4.1 * 0.4% 64.1% $7.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Cheonan versus $462 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 2% 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 $23.00 in Cheonan versus $53.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $480 in Cheonan vs $140 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Cheonan

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

04:00 4:00 AM

Same time as Cheonan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

658,486

469,279

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cheonan
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Cheonan vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan costs about 33% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Cheonan and $1,660 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Cheonan and $1,107 in Jeju. That's a gap of about 33%.

Groceries cost about 243% more in Cheonan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Cheonan at $1,467. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan 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, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.