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: $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,471 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Cheongju versus $2,446 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,562 in Cheongju versus $3,420 in Kingston.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 14% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 5% below, Kingston is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ₩10.5K

$7.30 JMD 1,147

-2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.92 ₩54.8K

$62.8 JMD 9,862

-41.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,048

$8.99 JMD 1,412

-47.16%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₩6,234

$4.36 JMD 684

-3.67%

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

$1.82 ₩2,693

$1.36 JMD 214

33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,974

$0.75 JMD 118

77.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$2.47 JMD 387

47.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,678

$3.20 JMD 502

82.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₩3,009

$4.41 JMD 693

-53.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,170

$3.58 JMD 563

-2.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,664

$1.61 JMD 253

11.80%

Eggs

$2.14 ₩3,170

$3.55 JMD 558

-39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₩15.4K

$11.14 JMD 1,750

-6.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.1K

$6.45 JMD 1,014

26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 ₩21.9K

$7.54 JMD 1,185

95.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,305

$6.15 JMD 966

-52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,234

$3.03 JMD 476

-5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.9K

$4.14 JMD 650

77.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,571

$2.96 JMD 464

72.30%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,686

$2.10 JMD 330

146.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,437

$1.91 JMD 300

56.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,118

$3.07 JMD 483

-31.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩675

$1.45 JMD 228

-68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,045

$8.70 JMD 1,367

-60.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 ₩19.9K

$11.41 JMD 1,791

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,607

$2.91 JMD 456

-39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₩3,307

$3.07 JMD 482

-27.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$0.88 JMD 138

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 ₩110.1K

$49.34 JMD 7,750

50.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,028

$1.13 JMD 177

140.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,159

$3.25 JMD 510

-76.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.73 ₩24.8K

$6.08 JMD 955

175.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.28 JMD 200

-6.25%

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

$27.8K ₩41.3M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

-35.86%

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

$24.8K ₩36.7M

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

-25.46%

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

$187 ₩276.7K

$163 JMD 25.6K

14.65%

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

$24.21 ₩35.9K

$22.50 JMD 3,533

7.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 ₩21.9K

$51.1 JMD 8,029

-71.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₩90.0K

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 ₩50.0K

$15.48 JMD 2,431

117.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₩11.2K

$13.13 JMD 2,063

-42.57%

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

$487 ₩722.8K

$228 JMD 35.9K

113.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$2,527 JMD 396.9K

462.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.46 ₩54.1K

$26.50 JMD 4,163

37.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 ₩69.9K

$25.86 JMD 4,062

82.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.3K

$71.8 JMD 11.3K

25.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩160.4K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

39.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩445.6K

$877 JMD 137.7K

-65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₩350.4K

$449 JMD 70.5K

-47.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩620.2K

$2,018 JMD 316.9K

-79.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₩446.3K

$1,213 JMD 190.5K

-75.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,730 ₩14.4M

$2,865 JMD 450.0K

239.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,844 ₩8.7M

$2,208 JMD 346.7K

164.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,369 ₩3.5M

$734 JMD 115.2K

222.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kingston: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Cheongju and $877 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 223% 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 $349 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 16% 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 223% 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: $300 in Cheongju versus $877 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Cheongju versus $1,471 in Kingston – a 16% 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 $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,471 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 16% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.