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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,541 per month in Daegu vs $1,074 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Daegu vs $1,819 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,102 per month in Daegu vs $2,563 in Jeju, rent included.

Daegu costs about 43% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Daegu sits 12% above the global median, while Jeju is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ₩12.7K

$7.52 ₩10.2K

24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.70 ₩49.9K

$52.1 ₩70.8K

-29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₩7,490

$5.35 ₩7,271

2.99%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,280

$5.96 ₩8,103

-34.90%

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

$1.61 ₩2,183

$2.17 ₩2,947

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$1.89 ₩2,576

-56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ₩4,839

$3.39 ₩4,610

5.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 ₩7,143

$2.85 ₩3,871

84.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,199

$2.14 ₩2,908

9.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 ₩6,063

$2.17 ₩2,944

105.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,553

$2.18 ₩2,961

19.72%

Eggs

$2.79 ₩3,789

$2.60 ₩3,536

7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₩13.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ₩9,434

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.85 ₩28.3K

Apples (1kg)

$6.39 ₩8,693

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 ₩3,679

$2.06 ₩2,799

31.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 ₩7,473

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 ₩7,572

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,475

$2.99 ₩4,071

-14.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 ₩2,819

$1.81 ₩2,465

14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.25 ₩5,778

$2.17 ₩2,951

95.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₩1,758

$0.45 ₩615

186.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₩4,022

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 ₩19.8K

$10.91 ₩14.8K

33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₩2,850

$1.83 ₩2,482

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,242

$1.62 ₩2,206

46.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,515

$0.94 ₩1,274

18.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 ₩97.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 ₩4,172

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩764

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 ₩10.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₩1,772

$1.26 ₩1,710

3.17%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

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

$40.6K ₩55.3M

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

$264 ₩359.2K

$209 ₩284.0K

26.50%

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

$48.58 ₩66.0K

$52.5 ₩71.4K

-7.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.90 ₩54.2K

$19.46 ₩26.5K

105.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.43 ₩67.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 ₩16.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩14.9K

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

$510 ₩692.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₩37.5M

$24.8K ₩33.7M

11.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₩73.3K

$49.90 ₩67.8K

8.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ₩68.2K

$28.86 ₩39.2K

73.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ₩127.7K

$66.0 ₩89.8K

42.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 ₩219.3K

$88.8 ₩120.7K

81.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩546.7K

$456 ₩619.3K

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₩362.6K

$363 ₩493.4K

-26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 ₩1.4M

$1,341 ₩1.8M

-24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₩815.9K

$1,113 ₩1.5M

-46.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,006 ₩9.5M

$10.3K ₩14.0M

-32.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,543 ₩7.5M

$6,615 ₩9.0M

-16.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,423 ₩3.3M

$1,824 ₩2.5M

32.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.07

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

Last update for Daegu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Jeju: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Daegu versus $456 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 33% 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 $37.00 in Daegu versus $52.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Daegu vs $135 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: $1,541 in Daegu, $1,074 in Jeju – roughly 43% apart. Daegu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,311 per month in Daegu and $1,611 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 $37.00 in Daegu and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,541 in Daegu and $1,074 in Jeju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Daegu at $1,541. 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.