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: $1,394 in Gwangju versus $1,338 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,165 in Gwangju versus $2,319 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Gwangju versus $3,299 in Jeju.

Living in Gwangju is roughly 4% more expensive than in Jeju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gwangju 5% above, Jeju 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 ₩10.7K

$6.65 ₩9,564

11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₩73.0K

$52.2 ₩75.0K

-2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₩8,333

$4.14 ₩5,953

39.86%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₩5,616

$5.26 ₩7,564

-25.86%

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

$1.57 ₩2,253

$2.39 ₩3,441

-34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₩999

$0.70 ₩1,008

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ₩4,141

$4.10 ₩5,896

-29.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₩5,209

$5.71 ₩8,209

-36.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₩2,708

$2.24 ₩3,223

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 ₩3,468

$2.15 ₩3,098

12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,342

$2.17 ₩3,118

39.17%

Eggs

$2.69 ₩3,867

$2.60 ₩3,742

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₩10.7K

$10.62 ₩15.3K

-30.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 ₩10.4K

$8.29 ₩11.9K

-12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.35 ₩49.4K

$27.81 ₩40.0K

23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$8.02 ₩11.5K

$7.87 ₩11.3K

1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.60 ₩5,180

$3.21 ₩4,624

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,189

$5.65 ₩8,121

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.59 ₩8,034

$5.38 ₩7,732

3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,500

$2.98 ₩4,288

28.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₩3,545

$1.87 ₩2,691

31.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,759

$2.18 ₩3,142

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,660

$0.45 ₩652

155.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,781

$3.36 ₩4,840

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 ₩14.6K

$10.44 ₩15.0K

-2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₩2,336

$1.87 ₩2,683

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,283

$1.67 ₩2,398

36.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₩1,379

$0.90 ₩1,300

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 ₩93.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₩4,302

$2.51 ₩3,604

19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩763

$0.58 ₩828

-8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ₩12.0K

$8.56 ₩12.3K

-2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,802

$1.28 ₩1,846

-2.34%

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

$27.6K ₩39.7M

$27.7K ₩39.9M

-0.55%

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

$22.4K ₩32.2M

$25.3K ₩36.4M

-11.53%

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

$165 ₩237.8K

$158 ₩227.7K

4.45%

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

$34.57 ₩49.7K

$35.48 ₩51.0K

-2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.75 ₩31.3K

$19.16 ₩27.6K

13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.38 ₩68.1K

$36.67 ₩52.7K

29.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ₩20.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 ₩13.0K

$10.83 ₩15.6K

-16.34%

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

$421 ₩605.1K

$363 ₩521.8K

15.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩34.1M

$24.9K ₩35.8M

-4.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 ₩73.4K

$50.5 ₩72.6K

1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ₩53.3K

$29.77 ₩42.8K

24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 ₩92.5K

$65.2 ₩93.8K

-1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₩144.7K

$87.2 ₩125.4K

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩664.5K

$486 ₩699.0K

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ₩516.6K

$398 ₩572.7K

-9.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 ₩1.2M

$1,041 ₩1.5M

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩855.6K

$1,129 ₩1.6M

-47.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,241 ₩10.4M

$9,502 ₩13.7M

-23.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,779 ₩8.3M

$6,054 ₩8.7M

-4.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,583 ₩3.7M

$1,736 ₩2.5M

48.81%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Gwangju and $486 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 49% 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 $413 vs $388, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Gwangju, 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: $462 in Gwangju versus $486 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Gwangju. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Gwangju versus $1,338 in Jeju – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,338 in Jeju versus $1,394 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 4% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.