Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Hong Kong

For one person, living is cheaper in Gwangju: $1,329 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

64

Cost of Living Index in Gwangju
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Gwangju Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Living Index

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Gwangju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,329

/mo nomad

Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$2,984

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gwangju and in Hong Kong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,329 in Gwangju versus $2,984 in Hong Kong.

Gwangju $1,329
Hong Kong $2,984

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Gwangju versus $4,584 in Hong Kong.

Gwangju $2,038
Hong Kong $4,584

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Gwangju versus $6,183 in Hong Kong.

Gwangju $2,747
Hong Kong $6,183

Living in Gwangju costs roughly 55% less than in Hong Kong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gwangju is 2% below, Hong Kong is 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 ₩7,948

$7.75 HK$60.8

-22.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 ₩45.3K

$64.7 HK$508

-47.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₩8,131

$6.18 HK$48.51

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₩4,317

$5.08 HK$39.85

-36.02%

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

$1.60 ₩2,127

$1.31 HK$10.31

22.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₩837

$1.09 HK$8.56

-42.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ₩3,297

$7.47 HK$58.6

-66.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₩6,008

$6.50 HK$51.0

-30.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ₩2,269

$2.89 HK$22.71

-40.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ₩3,153

$2.31 HK$18.14

2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₩3,009

$2.13 HK$16.71

6.10%

Eggs

$2.74 ₩3,639

$3.52 HK$27.65

-22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 ₩11.8K

$24.72 HK$194

-64.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 ₩10.6K

$8.52 HK$66.9

-6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 ₩15.0K

$18.00 HK$141

-37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 ₩6,854

$4.18 HK$32.79

23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,037

$2.68 HK$21.07

13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ₩5,002

$4.49 HK$35.22

-16.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,037

$4.03 HK$31.66

-24.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₩4,747

$3.12 HK$24.51

14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,515

$3.15 HK$24.72

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,663

$1.62 HK$12.75

23.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₩1,791

$1.74 HK$13.66

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ₩4,584

$13.50 HK$106

-74.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.10 ₩14.8K

$16.54 HK$130

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₩1,935

$1.94 HK$15.19

-24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₩3,024

$2.18 HK$17.11

4.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,410

$1.41 HK$11.04

-24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 ₩90.6K

$88.6 HK$696

-23.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 ₩4,223

$3.69 HK$28.94

-13.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩821

$1.32 HK$10.36

-53.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ₩10.4K

$15.77 HK$124

-50.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,616

$4.03 HK$31.65

-69.73%

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

$28.0K ₩37.3M

$44.7K HK$350.5K

-37.23%

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

$35.3K ₩46.9M

$37.8K HK$296.6K

-6.60%

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

$210 ₩279.5K

$250 HK$1,959

-15.77%

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

$43.76 ₩58.2K

$15.60 HK$122

180.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.2K

$21.77 HK$171

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 ₩68.7K

$94.2 HK$739

-45.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 ₩15.6K

$9.29 HK$72.9

26.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 ₩15.0K

$13.91 HK$109

-19.12%

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

$300 ₩399.0K

$1,162 HK$9,122

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ₩23.8M

$21.9K HK$171.6K

-17.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 ₩42.2K

$68.0 HK$534

-53.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 ₩34.6K

$41.91 HK$329

-37.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 ₩84.5K

$79.7 HK$626

-20.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ₩117.8K

$122 HK$956

-27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₩657.9K

$2,241 HK$17.6K

-77.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 ₩482.7K

$1,718 HK$13.5K

-78.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 ₩1.5M

$5,041 HK$39.6K

-76.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₩992.8K

$3,435 HK$27.0K

-78.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,812 ₩10.4M

$29.2K HK$229.0K

-73.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,383 ₩8.5M

$17.6K HK$137.9K

-63.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,883 ₩3.8M

$3,271 HK$25.7K

-11.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

3.91

-7.93%

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

Last update for Gwangju: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gwangju

$363 27.3%

Hong Kong

$1.7K 57.6% 373% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Gwangju

$308 23.2%

Hong Kong

$411 13.8% 33.4% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gwangju

$275 20.7%

Hong Kong

$287 9.6% 4.3% $12

Eating Out

Gwangju

$135 10.2%

Hong Kong

$201 6.8% 48.7% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Gwangju

$94 7.1%

Hong Kong

$140 4.7% 48.3% $46

Getting Around

Gwangju

$79 5.9%

Hong Kong

$105 3.5% 32.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Gwangju

$74 5.6%

Hong Kong

$122 4.1% 64.4% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Gwangju and $2,241 in Hong Kong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hong Kong pays 13% 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: $34.00 in Gwangju vs $65.0 in Hong Kong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $411 per month, with Gwangju cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gwangju

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

07:21 7:21 AM

1 h behind Gwangju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,467,996

1,367,900 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.113 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HKD, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Gwangju Hong Kong 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Gwangju
Hong Kong

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

Gwangju vs Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Hong Kong. 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: $495 in Gwangju versus $2,241 in Hong Kong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $65.0 in Hong Kong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,329 per month in Gwangju versus $2,984 in Hong Kong – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,329 in Gwangju versus $2,984 in Hong Kong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Hong Kong. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gwangju is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hong Kong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gwangju and Hong Kong 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 Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Hong Kong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.