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 $1,403 per month in Cheonan vs $1,175 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Cheonan vs $1,805 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,005 per month in Cheonan vs $2,434 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Cheonan costs about 19% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cheonan sits 2% above the global median, while Setagaya-ku is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 ₩9,982

$6.27 ¥976

17.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.53 ₩29.2K

$25.53 ¥3,973

-15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 ₩5,692

$4.47 ¥696

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₩1,994

$2.89 ¥450

-49.13%

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

$1.14 ₩1,544

$1.07 ¥167

6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₩1,830

$0.60 ¥93.8

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ₩2,986

$2.24 ¥349

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,704

$3.07 ¥477

37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₩2,104

$1.24 ¥192

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,285

$1.71 ¥265

84.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,042

$3.57 ¥556

-16.53%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,516

$1.22 ¥190

112.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₩14.5K

$11.57 ¥1,800

-7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 ₩13.7K

$5.85 ¥911

72.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.13 ₩32.7K

$14.22 ¥2,213

69.69%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 ₩14.5K

$5.69 ¥885

87.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩4,757

$2.79 ¥435

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.99 ₩10.8K

$2.77 ¥431

188.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩7,586

$4.07 ¥634

37.59%

Potato (1kg)

$5.71 ₩7,741

$2.62 ¥407

117.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,263

$2.65 ¥412

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,780

$1.26 ¥197

121.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₩1,771

$0.54 ¥83.5

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,425

$3.70 ¥576

-11.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 ₩24.1K

$6.28 ¥978

182.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,242

$1.71 ¥267

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,570

$2.01 ¥312

67.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,485

$1.46 ¥227

-24.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 ¥9,152

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ₩3,904

$2.61 ¥405

10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ₩1,017

$2.55 ¥397

-70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 ₩21.8K

$20.04 ¥3,119

-19.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,604

$1.06 ¥164

11.32%

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

$28.9K ₩39.2M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

33.69%

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

$32.8K ₩44.5M

$17.8K ¥2.8M

84.35%

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

$191 ₩259.2K

$130 ¥20.3K

46.82%

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

$34.82 ₩47.2K

$24.06 ¥3,745

44.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 ₩35.1K

$31.88 ¥4,962

-18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₩74.5K

$50.4 ¥7,851

8.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₩15.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 ₩15.8K

$11.79 ¥1,835

-1.27%

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

$611 ₩828.3K

$635 ¥98.8K

-3.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ₩28.1M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

43.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 ₩90.0K

$36.87 ¥5,739

79.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 ₩78.9K

$32.69 ¥5,087

77.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ₩122.8K

$60.4 ¥9,402

49.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₩169.9K

$62.1 ¥9,660

101.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ₩577.5K

$459 ¥71.4K

-7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₩462.6K

$320 ¥49.9K

6.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 ₩1.5M

$1,206 ¥187.8K

-7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩954.6K

$693 ¥107.8K

1.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,494 ₩10.2M

$4,726 ¥735.6K

58.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,453 ₩7.4M

$2,124 ¥330.6K

156.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 ₩2.4M

$1,446 ¥225.1K

21.32%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Cheonan versus $459 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 21% 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 $26.00 in Setagaya-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $463 in Cheonan vs $282 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 19% more than Setagaya-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,104 per month in Cheonan and $1,763 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 $1,403 in Cheonan and $1,175 in Setagaya-ku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $611 per month in Cheonan and $635 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 $1,175, than in Cheonan at $1,403. 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.