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: $1,192 in Cheongju versus $1,702 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Cheongju versus $2,853 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,905 in Cheongju versus $4,004 in Kingston.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 30% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 14% below, Kingston is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 ₩9,721

$15.79 JMD 2,481

-54.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.69 ₩64.0K

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-37.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₩7,761

$8.56 JMD 1,345

-32.36%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩4,836

$5.40 JMD 848

-33.15%

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

$1.77 ₩2,368

$1.24 JMD 195

42.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩1,846

$0.70 JMD 109

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 ₩5,126

$2.21 JMD 348

72.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ₩5,697

$3.18 JMD 500

33.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₩2,761

$4.25 JMD 667

-51.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₩4,262

$3.68 JMD 578

-13.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ₩2,421

$1.62 JMD 255

11.73%

Eggs

$2.18 ₩2,923

$3.44 JMD 540

-36.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₩14.4K

$11.60 JMD 1,822

-7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 ₩14.1K

$6.41 JMD 1,007

63.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 ₩19.7K

$10.16 JMD 1,596

44.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,077

$6.16 JMD 967

-50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ₩3,905

$4.00 JMD 629

-27.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 ₩10.2K

$7.30 JMD 1,147

3.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 ₩7,814

$2.97 JMD 467

96.30%

Potato (1kg)

$5.90 ₩7,914

$3.25 JMD 511

81.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,568

$2.70 JMD 424

26.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 ₩3,669

$3.15 JMD 495

-13.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩626

$1.49 JMD 233

-68.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,401

$9.17 JMD 1,440

-64.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 ₩19.7K

$11.16 JMD 1,754

31.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₩2,560

$2.81 JMD 442

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,054

$3.95 JMD 621

-42.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,509

$0.81 JMD 127

38.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 JMD 5,946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₩3,637

$1.23 JMD 193

120.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₩969

$3.10 JMD 486

-76.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 ₩22.3K

$6.23 JMD 979

167.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₩1,755

$1.39 JMD 218

-5.76%

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

$28.8K ₩38.7M

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

-35.29%

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

$34.1K ₩45.7M

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

3.48%

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

$198 ₩265.2K

$178 JMD 28.0K

11.13%

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

$24.13 ₩32.4K

$29.81 JMD 4,682

-19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.98 ₩20.1K

$52.5 JMD 8,241

-71.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₩73.6K

$61.1 JMD 9,598

-10.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.05 ₩16.2K

$17.79 JMD 2,794

-32.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$13.15 JMD 2,065

-42.43%

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

$631 ₩845.9K

$357 JMD 56.1K

76.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K ₩29.1M

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

165.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.58 ₩50.4K

$23.41 JMD 3,678

60.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 ₩88.5K

$31.32 JMD 4,919

110.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 ₩124.7K

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

21.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩151.7K

$102 JMD 16.0K

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ₩370.2K

$955 JMD 150.1K

-71.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₩284.8K

$563 JMD 88.4K

-62.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₩1.5M

$2,148 JMD 337.4K

-46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 ₩966.7K

$1,430 JMD 224.6K

-49.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,052 ₩9.5M

$2,887 JMD 453.5K

144.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,477 ₩7.3M

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

162.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,630 ₩3.5M

$744 JMD 116.9K

253.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

9.45

-55.34%

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

Last update for Cheongju: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kingston: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Cheongju and $955 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 253% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Cheongju vs $76.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $386 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 43% 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.

Average pay runs 253% 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: $276 in Cheongju versus $955 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $631 in Cheongju versus $357 in Kingston. 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 $48.00 versus $76.0 in Kingston. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,192 in Cheongju versus $1,702 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 43% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.