Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,522 in Gongju, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. The total is higher in Gongju despite lower rent and utilities.

Gongju, South Korea
Jeju, South Korea
Gongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,522
/mo nomad
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gongju and in Jeju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gongju and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,522 per month in Gongju vs $1,107 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Gongju $1,522
  • Jeju $1,107

A couple spends around $2,522 per month in Gongju vs $1,875 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Gongju $2,522
  • Jeju $1,875

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Gongju vs $2,643 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Gongju $3,522
  • Jeju $2,643

Gongju costs about 38% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Gongju sits 13% above the global median, while Jeju is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.24 ₩9,708
$7.46 ₩10.0K
-2.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.72 ₩64.0K
$51.4 ₩68.9K
-7.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.68 ₩8,956
$5.64 ₩7,565
18.44%
Cappuccino
$3.70 ₩4,961
$6.14 ₩8,226
-39.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₩2,417
$2.28 ₩3,059
-21.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 ₩1,850
$1.96 ₩2,622
-29.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,898
$4.01 ₩5,369
-8.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 ₩5,606
$3.03 ₩4,057
37.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 ₩3,132
$2.22 ₩2,973
5.41%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 ₩4,320
$2.17 ₩2,910
48.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 ₩4,061
$2.17 ₩2,914
39.63%
Eggs
$2.68 ₩3,590
$2.68 ₩3,597
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.83 ₩14.5K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩14.0K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.97 ₩33.5K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$11.02 ₩14.8K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$3.65 ₩4,895
$2.19 ₩2,930
66.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.16 ₩10.9K
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$6.03 ₩8,082
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$5.80 ₩7,773
$3.04 ₩4,072
90.79%
Onion (1kg)
$3.25 ₩4,350
$1.89 ₩2,531
71.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.86 ₩3,828
$2.18 ₩2,919
31.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₩1,705
$0.44 ₩589
188.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.41 ₩4,575
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.26 ₩24.5K
$11.13 ₩14.9K
64.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₩3,185
$1.83 ₩2,458
30.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 ₩4,827
$1.69 ₩2,263
113.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.20 ₩1,605
$1.01 ₩1,359
18.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 ₩4,875
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.67 ₩895
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.65 ₩19.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 ₩1,868
$1.32 ₩1,771
5.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.8K ₩53.3M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K ₩45.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 ₩268.6K
$209 ₩280.4K
-4.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.89 ₩49.5K
$53.5 ₩71.7K
-31.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.87 ₩36.0K
$19.48 ₩26.1K
37.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.3 ₩78.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.41 ₩20.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.77 ₩15.8K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$636 ₩853.1K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K ₩28.9M
$25.0K ₩33.5M
-13.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 ₩140.8K
$51.7 ₩69.3K
103.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.5 ₩86.4K
$29.62 ₩39.7K
117.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.4 ₩123.9K
$66.2 ₩88.7K
39.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 ₩171.6K
$87.9 ₩117.9K
45.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 ₩567.9K
$457 ₩613.1K
-7.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 ₩459.4K
$383 ₩513.4K
-10.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 ₩1.9M
$1,330 ₩1.8M
5.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$936 ₩1.3M
$1,129 ₩1.5M
-17.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,877 ₩9.2M
$10.4K ₩13.9M
-33.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,486 ₩7.4M
$6,701 ₩9.0M
-18.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gongju
Jeju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,309 ₩1.8M
$1,825 ₩2.4M
-28.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
0
-

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

Last update for Gongju: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gongju
$484
Jeju
–
Accommodation & Living
Gongju
$343
Jeju
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gongju
$264
Jeju
–
Clothing & Footwear
Gongju
$175
Jeju
–
Eating Out
Gongju
$162
Jeju
–
Sport & Entertainment
Gongju
$82
Jeju
–
Getting Around
Gongju
$12 *
Jeju
–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Gongju versus $457 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 39% higher in Jeju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Gongju versus $51 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $484 in Gongju vs $138 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gongju
🇰🇷 Jeju
🕒 Local time
16:27 4:27 PM
16:27 4:27 PM
Same time as Gongju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,428
469,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gongju Jeju 330 km
From you
  • Gongju
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gongju vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Gongju and in Jeju compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,522 in Gongju, $1,107 in Jeju – Jeju comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Gongju compared to Jeju?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,283 per month in Gongju and $1,660 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Gongju and in Jeju?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $424 in Gongju and $457 in Jeju. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Gongju and $51 in Jeju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Gongju or Jeju?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,522 in Gongju and $1,107 in Jeju. That makes Jeju about 27% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Gongju at $1,522. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Gongju or Jeju safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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