Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Daegu and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Daegu vs $1,335 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,159 per month in Daegu vs $2,303 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Daegu vs $3,270 in Jeju, rent included.

Daegu costs about 2% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Daegu and Jeju sit above the global median – Daegu by 2%, Jeju by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 ₩11.8K

$6.57 ₩9,780

20.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.84 ₩53.3K

$51.8 ₩77.1K

-30.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,925

$4.08 ₩6,078

47.06%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₩5,129

$5.34 ₩7,946

-35.39%

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

$1.50 ₩2,236

$2.33 ₩3,467

-35.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,201

$0.71 ₩1,055

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ₩5,306

$3.99 ₩5,942

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 ₩7,640

$5.93 ₩8,823

-13.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,234

$2.12 ₩3,147

2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,164

$2.19 ₩3,254

58.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ₩3,980

$2.25 ₩3,350

18.67%

Eggs

$2.71 ₩4,031

$2.56 ₩3,813

5.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 ₩17.2K

$10.31 ₩15.3K

11.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ₩10.3K

$8.41 ₩12.5K

-17.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.61 ₩35.1K

$27.81 ₩41.4K

-15.10%

Apples (1kg)

$8.04 ₩12.0K

$8.00 ₩11.9K

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.58 ₩5,334

$3.25 ₩4,832

10.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 ₩8,201

$5.60 ₩8,338

-1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$5.39 ₩8,015

20.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ₩3,543

$2.88 ₩4,289

-17.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,350

$1.86 ₩2,766

56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 ₩3,717

$2.17 ₩3,222

15.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,881

$0.42 ₩626

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩5,011

$3.38 ₩5,029

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 ₩19.6K

$16.52 ₩24.6K

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,471

$1.80 ₩2,677

29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₩4,321

$1.60 ₩2,382

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,592

$0.91 ₩1,352

17.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 ₩109.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ₩4,759

$2.50 ₩3,722

28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ₩624

$0.53 ₩782

-20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 ₩12.8K

$9.01 ₩13.4K

-4.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.22 ₩1,818

-1.64%

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

$27.8K ₩41.3M

$27.3K ₩40.7M

1.58%

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

$25.5K ₩38.0M

$24.8K ₩36.9M

2.98%

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

$165 ₩244.9K

$158 ₩235.0K

4.20%

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

$34.55 ₩51.4K

$35.45 ₩52.8K

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.26 ₩33.1K

$19.12 ₩28.5K

16.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ₩75.7K

$36.71 ₩54.6K

38.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.53 ₩17.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 ₩15.6K

$10.93 ₩16.3K

-4.12%

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

$422 ₩627.3K

$367 ₩545.5K

15.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩34.7M

$24.9K ₩37.0M

-6.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₩81.2K

$50.5 ₩75.1K

8.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.08 ₩71.5K

$29.60 ₩44.0K

62.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 ₩119.2K

$64.6 ₩96.1K

24.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.8K

$86.8 ₩129.1K

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₩584.7K

$482 ₩717.0K

-18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ₩379.1K

$400 ₩595.0K

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 ₩1.8M

$1,009 ₩1.5M

19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₩886.9K

$1,130 ₩1.7M

-47.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,015 ₩10.4M

$8,269 ₩12.3M

-15.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,324 ₩7.9M

$5,103 ₩7.6M

4.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,173 ₩3.2M

$1,678 ₩2.5M

29.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Daegu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Daegu versus $482 in Jeju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Daegu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Daegu versus $52.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in Daegu vs $399 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Daegu vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,362 in Daegu, $1,335 in Jeju – roughly 2% apart. Daegu costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Daegu and $2,003 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Daegu and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Daegu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,335, than in Daegu at $1,362. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daegu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Daegu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.