Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,784 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Cheongju versus $2,852 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,562 in Cheongju versus $3,920 in Seoul.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 29% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 5% below, Seoul is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ₩10.5K

$8.98 ₩13.3K

-20.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.92 ₩54.8K

$55.4 ₩82.1K

-33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,048

$6.46 ₩9,588

-26.47%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₩6,234

$3.77 ₩5,591

11.41%

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

$1.82 ₩2,693

$1.71 ₩2,537

6.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,974

$0.81 ₩1,199

64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$3.59 ₩5,322

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,678

$6.03 ₩8,952

-2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₩3,009

$2.16 ₩3,208

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,170

$3.36 ₩4,987

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,664

$3.17 ₩4,699

-43.22%

Eggs

$2.14 ₩3,170

$3.15 ₩4,671

-32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₩15.4K

$14.45 ₩21.4K

-28.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.1K

$10.91 ₩16.2K

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 ₩21.9K

$34.05 ₩50.5K

-56.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,305

$7.88 ₩11.7K

-63.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,234

$3.63 ₩5,390

-21.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.9K

$5.67 ₩8,407

29.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,571

$6.44 ₩9,553

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,686

$3.89 ₩5,777

33.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,437

$2.87 ₩4,257

4.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,118

$2.59 ₩3,848

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩675

$1.32 ₩1,956

-65.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,045

$3.30 ₩4,891

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 ₩19.9K

$19.80 ₩29.4K

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,607

$2.33 ₩3,454

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₩3,307

$3.23 ₩4,793

-30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.07 ₩1,586

12.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 ₩110.1K

$46.51 ₩69.0K

59.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,028

$3.50 ₩5,190

-22.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,159

$0.57 ₩843

36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.73 ₩24.8K

$8.59 ₩12.7K

94.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.21 ₩1,793

-0.83%

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

$27.8K ₩41.3M

$27.4K ₩40.6M

1.58%

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

$24.8K ₩36.7M

$25.1K ₩37.2M

-1.24%

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

$187 ₩276.7K

$161 ₩239.2K

15.66%

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

$24.21 ₩35.9K

$34.79 ₩51.6K

-30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 ₩21.9K

$22.48 ₩33.3K

-34.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₩90.0K

$58.8 ₩87.2K

3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 ₩50.0K

$23.22 ₩34.4K

45.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₩11.2K

$11.10 ₩16.5K

-32.07%

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

$487 ₩722.8K

$413 ₩612.3K

18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$23.1K ₩34.3M

-38.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.46 ₩54.1K

$57.9 ₩85.9K

-37.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 ₩69.9K

$47.44 ₩70.4K

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.3K

$78.7 ₩116.7K

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩160.4K

$117 ₩173.0K

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩445.6K

$956 ₩1.4M

-68.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₩350.4K

$591 ₩877.1K

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩620.2K

$2,570 ₩3.8M

-83.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₩446.3K

$1,318 ₩2.0M

-77.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,730 ₩14.4M

$18.5K ₩27.4M

-47.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,844 ₩8.7M

$9,790 ₩14.5M

-40.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,369 ₩3.5M

$2,903 ₩4.3M

-18.37%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Cheongju and $956 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $55.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $498 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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Seoul earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $300 in Cheongju versus $956 in Seoul. 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 $1,784 in Seoul – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 60% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,784 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Seoul. 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 Seoul 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 40% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.