Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,281 in Cheongju versus $1,454 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Cheongju versus $2,432 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,523 in Cheongju versus $3,409 in Kingston.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 12% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 5% below, Kingston is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.8K

$7.54 JMD 1,186

-5.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.55 ₩55.5K

$63.3 JMD 9,962

-42.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,217

$8.76 JMD 1,378

-45.78%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ₩6,086

$4.44 JMD 699

-9.68%

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

$1.86 ₩2,825

$1.31 JMD 206

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩2,038

$0.69 JMD 109

94.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,547

$2.57 JMD 404

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₩9,060

$3.08 JMD 485

93.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩3,059

$4.32 JMD 680

-53.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 ₩5,475

$3.54 JMD 557

1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ₩2,828

$1.61 JMD 253

15.53%

Eggs

$2.18 ₩3,305

$3.50 JMD 550

-37.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₩16.1K

$11.10 JMD 1,745

-4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.5K

$6.50 JMD 1,022

27.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 ₩22.2K

$7.79 JMD 1,225

87.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,388

$6.15 JMD 967

-53.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,540

$3.06 JMD 481

-2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.49 ₩11.4K

$4.33 JMD 681

72.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,769

$3.00 JMD 472

70.67%

Potato (1kg)

$5.03 ₩7,635

$2.05 JMD 322

145.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,402

$1.91 JMD 301

51.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,186

$3.13 JMD 492

-32.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩651

$1.45 JMD 228

-70.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩5,098

$9.00 JMD 1,416

-62.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 ₩19.6K

$11.59 JMD 1,823

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,672

$2.86 JMD 449

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₩3,429

$3.08 JMD 485

-26.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,826

$0.89 JMD 140

34.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 ₩113.3K

$49.88 JMD 7,844

49.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 ₩3,998

$1.08 JMD 170

143.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,282

$3.16 JMD 497

-73.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.78 ₩25.5K

$6.17 JMD 971

171.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,754

$1.24 JMD 195

-6.45%

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

$28.0K ₩42.6M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-34.47%

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

$24.7K ₩37.5M

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-26.37%

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

$191 ₩289.8K

$165 JMD 25.9K

15.93%

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

$24.60 ₩37.4K

$21.76 JMD 3,422

13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 ₩22.6K

$51.9 JMD 8,162

-71.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ₩93.0K

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

-11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.47 ₩52.3K

$15.47 JMD 2,433

122.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 ₩11.2K

$13.21 JMD 2,078

-43.98%

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

$480 ₩729.3K

$228 JMD 35.9K

110.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.7M

$2,456 JMD 386.2K

481.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.54 ₩55.5K

$26.42 JMD 4,156

38.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩72.0K

$25.61 JMD 4,028

85.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₩132.4K

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

24.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩165.6K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₩461.7K

$886 JMD 139.4K

-65.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ₩364.3K

$446 JMD 70.2K

-46.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₩633.3K

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

-79.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ₩447.3K

$1,214 JMD 190.8K

-75.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,450 ₩14.4M

$2,824 JMD 444.1K

234.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,234 ₩7.9M

$2,167 JMD 340.8K

141.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,277 ₩3.5M

$754 JMD 118.6K

202.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

9.15

-53.88%

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

Last update for Cheongju: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cheongju and $886 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 202% 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 $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $353 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cheongju pays 202% more on average, 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: $304 in Cheongju versus $886 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,281 per month in Cheongju versus $1,454 in Kingston – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 50% less than in Kingston. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,281 in Cheongju versus $1,454 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Kingston. 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 Kingston 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 14% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.