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: $1,218 in Cheongju versus $1,757 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Cheongju versus $2,790 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,948 in Cheongju versus $3,822 in Seoul.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 31% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 11% below, Seoul is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 ₩10.4K

$9.53 ₩13.1K

-21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.15 ₩67.7K

$68.0 ₩93.7K

-27.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 ₩8,385

$7.35 ₩10.1K

-17.28%

Cappuccino

$3.72 ₩5,122

$4.17 ₩5,740

-10.79%

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

$1.79 ₩2,470

$1.67 ₩2,299

7.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,969

$0.77 ₩1,067

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₩5,185

$3.74 ₩5,155

0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,799

$5.86 ₩8,076

-28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₩2,842

$2.07 ₩2,856

-0.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 ₩4,334

$3.17 ₩4,363

-0.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,608

$4.22 ₩5,814

-55.21%

Eggs

$2.20 ₩3,031

$3.49 ₩4,806

-36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 ₩14.9K

$16.99 ₩23.4K

-36.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₩14.6K

$9.97 ₩13.7K

6.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 ₩20.7K

$25.97 ₩35.8K

-42.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,166

$7.78 ₩10.7K

-61.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,128

$3.47 ₩4,781

-13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.32 ₩10.1K

$5.55 ₩7,648

31.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,197

$6.27 ₩8,639

-5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$5.78 ₩7,966

$3.74 ₩5,149

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,591

$2.54 ₩3,506

31.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,816

$2.74 ₩3,773

1.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩649

$1.07 ₩1,472

-56.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₩4,735

$3.36 ₩4,634

2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 ₩20.8K

$18.77 ₩25.9K

-19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,511

$2.45 ₩3,372

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,142

$3.08 ₩4,243

-25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,546

$1.13 ₩1,562

-0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.48 ₩64.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₩3,584

$3.55 ₩4,888

-26.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₩974

$0.59 ₩814

20.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 ₩22.8K

$8.77 ₩12.1K

88.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,813

$1.52 ₩2,095

-13.16%

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

$29.1K ₩40.1M

$28.7K ₩39.6M

1.19%

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

$33.1K ₩45.6M

$27.5K ₩38.0M

20.15%

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

$198 ₩272.5K

$198 ₩272.4K

0.03%

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

$24.07 ₩33.2K

$35.76 ₩49.3K

-32.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 ₩20.4K

$20.20 ₩27.8K

-26.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 ₩75.4K

$58.9 ₩81.2K

-7.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 ₩16.2K

$15.96 ₩22.0K

-26.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 ₩10.4K

$11.28 ₩15.5K

-32.98%

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

$631 ₩869.9K

$1,899 ₩2.6M

-66.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩30.1M

$22.8K ₩31.5M

-4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.94 ₩50.9K

$58.4 ₩80.4K

-36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.6 ₩90.3K

$32.33 ₩44.6K

102.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 ₩127.7K

$70.7 ₩97.5K

30.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩155.6K

$82.7 ₩114.0K

36.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₩387.1K

$891 ₩1.2M

-68.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₩294.7K

$597 ₩823.2K

-64.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 ₩1.6M

$2,570 ₩3.5M

-55.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₩1.0M

$1,252 ₩1.7M

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,177 ₩9.9M

$29.3K ₩40.4M

-75.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,449 ₩7.5M

$11.5K ₩15.8M

-52.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,579 ₩3.6M

$3,545 ₩4.9M

-27.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.08

3.43%

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

Last update for Cheongju: September 14, 2026

Last update for Seoul: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Cheongju and $891 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 37% 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: $49.00 in Cheongju vs $68.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $471 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 44% 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, salaries run 37% lower in Seoul. 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: $281 in Cheongju versus $891 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $631 in Cheongju versus $1,899 in Seoul. 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 $49.00 versus $68.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Cheongju versus $1,757 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 44% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.