Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,334 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Gwangju versus $2,325 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,964 in Gwangju versus $3,316 in Jeju.

Living in Gwangju is roughly 6% more expensive than Jeju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gwangju is 5% above, Jeju is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 ₩11.4K

$6.47 ₩9,822

16.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₩77.3K

$51.7 ₩78.5K

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 ₩8,773

$4.11 ₩6,248

40.63%

Cappuccino

$3.96 ₩6,012

$5.40 ₩8,203

-26.67%

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

$1.57 ₩2,380

$2.39 ₩3,632

-34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,117

$0.74 ₩1,129

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₩4,389

$3.95 ₩6,001

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₩5,488

$5.81 ₩8,819

-37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₩2,834

$2.19 ₩3,328

-14.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 ₩3,714

$2.23 ₩3,390

9.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,717

$2.22 ₩3,369

40.09%

Eggs

$2.72 ₩4,131

$2.57 ₩3,905

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.3K

$10.60 ₩16.1K

-29.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 ₩11.4K

$8.15 ₩12.4K

-7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.52 ₩52.4K

$27.07 ₩41.1K

27.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 ₩11.6K

$7.66 ₩11.6K

-0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 ₩5,504

$3.22 ₩4,894

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,509

$5.49 ₩8,333

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,505

$5.12 ₩7,782

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,986

$3.00 ₩4,560

31.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₩3,705

$1.82 ₩2,760

34.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩4,016

$2.18 ₩3,311

21.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,775

$0.42 ₩637

178.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩5,173

$3.23 ₩4,909

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ₩15.1K

$16.21 ₩24.6K

-38.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₩2,433

$1.81 ₩2,747

-11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,624

$1.61 ₩2,451

48.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₩1,346

$0.84 ₩1,275

5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₩98.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 ₩4,483

$2.55 ₩3,865

15.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩803

$0.57 ₩865

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.35 ₩12.7K

$9.04 ₩13.7K

-7.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,834

$1.26 ₩1,915

-3.97%

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

$27.3K ₩41.4M

$28.1K ₩42.6M

-2.81%

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

$22.1K ₩33.6M

$25.3K ₩38.5M

-12.72%

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

$164 ₩248.3K

$163 ₩247.2K

0.44%

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

$34.17 ₩51.9K

$34.40 ₩52.2K

-0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 ₩33.2K

$19.43 ₩29.5K

12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩71.5K

$37.45 ₩56.9K

25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 ₩22.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 ₩13.1K

$11.04 ₩16.8K

-21.83%

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

$412 ₩625.4K

$360 ₩546.0K

14.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.0M

$25.1K ₩38.1M

-5.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ₩77.2K

$50.6 ₩76.8K

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 ₩56.7K

$29.89 ₩45.4K

24.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ₩97.0K

$64.5 ₩97.9K

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₩153.6K

$88.9 ₩135.0K

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩677.1K

$494 ₩749.6K

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₩542.9K

$391 ₩593.5K

-8.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₩1.3M

$1,009 ₩1.5M

-17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₩900.6K

$1,120 ₩1.7M

-47.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,852 ₩10.4M

$9,495 ₩14.4M

-27.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,649 ₩8.6M

$5,193 ₩7.9M

8.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,527 ₩3.8M

$1,629 ₩2.5M

55.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

4.14

-5.80%

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

Last update for Gwangju: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jeju: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Gwangju and $494 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 55% 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: $51.0 in Gwangju vs $52.0 in Jeju. Groceries flip the comparison at $414 vs $393, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gwangju pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $446 in Gwangju versus $494 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Gwangju. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,414 per month in Gwangju versus $1,334 in Jeju – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,414 in Gwangju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Gwangju. The gap between the two cities makes Jeju 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, Gwangju and Jeju 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 Jeju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.