Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Setagaya-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Setagaya-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,274 per month in Cheonan vs $1,188 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Cheonan vs $1,849 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,640 per month in Cheonan vs $2,510 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Cheonan costs about 7% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cheonan and Setagaya-ku are more affordable than the global median – Cheonan 5% lower, Setagaya-ku 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 ₩8,745

$6.83 ¥1,092

-16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 ₩33.7K

$35.18 ¥5,628

-37.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₩7,420

$5.26 ¥841

-7.98%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₩3,283

$3.26 ¥522

-34.36%

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

$1.20 ₩1,845

$1.10 ¥176

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩735

$0.76 ¥121

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₩3,900

$2.13 ¥341

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₩5,696

$2.07 ¥331

79.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,295

$1.56 ¥250

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 ₩5,387

$1.76 ¥281

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,644

$4.89 ¥783

-38.04%

Eggs

$1.73 ₩2,647

$1.52 ¥243

13.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$9.89 ¥1,582

7.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 ₩12.8K

$6.22 ¥995

33.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 ₩18.3K

$15.46 ¥2,473

-22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 ₩11.2K

$5.90 ¥944

24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,825

$3.04 ¥486

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 ₩8,541

$3.92 ¥627

42.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 ₩8,144

$4.66 ¥745

13.95%

Potato (1kg)

$4.99 ₩7,651

$3.37 ¥539

48.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,527

$3.73 ¥596

-20.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₩1,411

$1.38 ¥221

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₩1,619

$0.82 ¥131

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩5,034

$3.99 ¥638

-17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 ₩25.6K

$9.27 ¥1,483

79.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,709

$1.74 ¥279

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,296

$2.07 ¥331

-27.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,712

$1.49 ¥238

-24.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,892

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩4,528

$3.54 ¥567

-16.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,289

$2.99 ¥478

-71.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.77 ₩25.7K

$22.35 ¥3,575

-24.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,780

$1.19 ¥190

-2.52%

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

$27.8K ₩42.5M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

18.97%

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

$25.3K ₩38.7M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

35.87%

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

$141 ₩215.5K

$83.7 ¥13.4K

68.07%

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

$50.6 ₩77.5K

$27.09 ¥4,332

86.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.97 ₩15.3K

$34.07 ¥5,449

-70.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.28 ₩74.0K

$49.31 ¥7,888

-2.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,227

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₩11.6K

$13.05 ¥2,088

-41.99%

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

$492 ₩754.0K

$284 ¥45.5K

73.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩21.6M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩156.0K

$41.49 ¥6,637

145.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.01 ₩73.6K

$24.15 ¥3,862

98.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₩113.7K

$45.87 ¥7,337

61.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$98.7 ¥15.8K

11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₩693.8K

$461 ¥73.7K

-1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩578.7K

$334 ¥53.4K

13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₩1.6M

$859 ¥137.4K

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₩1.2M

$668 ¥106.9K

15.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩15.0M

$4,689 ¥750.1K

108.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,779 ₩8.9M

$2,426 ¥388.0K

138.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,579 ₩2.4M

$1,419 ¥226.9K

11.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

111.00%

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

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Cheonan versus $461 in Setagaya-ku. 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 11% higher in Cheonan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Cheonan versus $35.00 in Setagaya-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Cheonan vs $317 in Setagaya-ku – so Setagaya-ku wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan costs about 7% more than Setagaya-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,910 per month in Cheonan and $1,782 in Setagaya-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setagaya-ku, 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 $1,274 in Cheonan and $1,188 in Setagaya-ku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $492 per month in Cheonan and $284 in Setagaya-ku. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Cheonan at $1,274. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku. 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.