Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,292 in Cheongju versus $1,335 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,908 in Cheongju versus $2,303 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Cheongju versus $3,270 in Jeju.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 3% less than in Jeju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 3% below, Jeju is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 ₩10.7K

$6.57 ₩9,780

9.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 ₩55.1K

$51.8 ₩77.1K

-28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₩7,086

$4.08 ₩6,078

16.67%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩6,296

$5.34 ₩7,946

-20.79%

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

$1.88 ₩2,796

$2.33 ₩3,467

-19.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,065

$0.71 ₩1,055

95.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,551

$3.99 ₩5,942

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩8,532

$5.93 ₩8,823

-3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₩3,114

$2.12 ₩3,147

-1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,305

$2.19 ₩3,254

63.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ₩2,666

$2.25 ₩3,350

-20.44%

Eggs

$2.15 ₩3,200

$2.56 ₩3,813

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₩15.7K

$10.31 ₩15.3K

2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.3K

$8.41 ₩12.5K

-1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 ₩21.6K

$27.81 ₩41.4K

-47.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,320

$8.00 ₩11.9K

-63.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,284

$3.25 ₩4,832

-11.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.1K

$5.60 ₩8,338

33.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,029

$5.39 ₩8,015

0.19%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 ₩7,784

$2.88 ₩4,289

81.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,384

$1.86 ₩2,766

58.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,998

$2.17 ₩3,222

-7.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩672

$0.42 ₩626

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,889

$3.38 ₩5,029

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 ₩19.8K

$16.52 ₩24.6K

-19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,523

$1.80 ₩2,677

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₩3,346

$1.60 ₩2,382

40.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$0.91 ₩1,352

32.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 ₩108.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₩3,863

$2.50 ₩3,722

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,166

$0.53 ₩782

47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 ₩24.1K

$9.01 ₩13.4K

79.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$1.22 ₩1,818

-0.82%

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

$27.7K ₩41.3M

$27.3K ₩40.7M

1.48%

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

$25.3K ₩37.7M

$24.8K ₩36.9M

2.15%

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

$191 ₩283.9K

$158 ₩235.0K

20.79%

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

$24.48 ₩36.4K

$35.45 ₩52.8K

-30.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ₩22.2K

$19.12 ₩28.5K

-22.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ₩93.0K

$36.71 ₩54.6K

70.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.67 ₩50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ₩10.7K

$10.93 ₩16.3K

-34.13%

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

$491 ₩730.3K

$367 ₩545.5K

33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩21.4M

$24.9K ₩37.0M

-42.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.11 ₩55.2K

$50.5 ₩75.1K

-26.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 ₩72.0K

$29.60 ₩44.0K

63.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.8K

$64.6 ₩96.1K

39.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩161.5K

$86.8 ₩129.1K

25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₩449.9K

$482 ₩717.0K

-37.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₩349.5K

$400 ₩595.0K

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ₩617.5K

$1,009 ₩1.5M

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₩452.7K

$1,130 ₩1.7M

-73.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,336 ₩12.4M

$8,269 ₩12.3M

0.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,224 ₩7.8M

$5,103 ₩7.6M

2.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 ₩3.5M

$1,678 ₩2.5M

41.51%

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 Cheongju: July 11, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Cheongju and $482 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $52.0 in Jeju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $399 per month, with Cheongju cheaper across the board.

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

Cheongju vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Jeju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Cheongju, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $302 in Cheongju versus $482 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $491 in Cheongju versus $367 in Jeju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheongju – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $52.0 in Jeju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,292 in Cheongju versus $1,335 in Jeju, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Jeju. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju 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, Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Jeju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.