Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,341 in Gwangju, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. The total is higher in Gwangju despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Gwangju
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Gwangju Living Index

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Gwangju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,341

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gwangju 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 Gwangju and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Gwangju versus $1,118 in Jeju.

Gwangju $1,341
Jeju $1,118

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Gwangju versus $1,917 in Jeju.

Gwangju $2,048
Jeju $1,917

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,756 in Gwangju versus $2,715 in Jeju.

Gwangju $2,756
Jeju $2,715

Living in Gwangju is roughly 20% more expensive than in Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gwangju 2% lower, Jeju 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.02 ₩8,034

$7.33 ₩9,784

-17.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.32 ₩45.8K

$51.9 ₩69.2K

-33.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 ₩7,772

$5.61 ₩7,495

3.74%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ₩4,234

$5.87 ₩7,834

-46.00%

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

$1.59 ₩2,128

$2.19 ₩2,924

-27.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₩843

$2.06 ₩2,753

-69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₩3,179

$3.93 ₩5,245

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₩6,135

$3.07 ₩4,102

49.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ₩2,299

$2.26 ₩3,017

-23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 ₩3,329

$2.31 ₩3,079

7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,057

$2.31 ₩3,085

-0.87%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,521

$2.62 ₩3,498

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ₩11.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ₩10.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ₩14.9K

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₩6,894

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,027

$2.20 ₩2,940

37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ₩4,971

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,120

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 ₩4,807

$2.97 ₩3,960

21.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,527

$1.87 ₩2,496

1.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩2,822

$2.28 ₩3,038

-7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,715

$0.47 ₩624

172.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,489

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 ₩14.9K

$11.48 ₩15.3K

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₩2,019

$1.85 ₩2,465

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₩3,083

$1.72 ₩2,295

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₩1,343

$0.99 ₩1,321

2.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 ₩91.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ₩4,079

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ₩10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,607

$1.37 ₩1,835

-12.41%

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

$28.1K ₩37.5M

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

$35.2K ₩47.0M

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

$212 ₩282.8K

$214 ₩285.7K

-1.00%

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

$44.13 ₩58.9K

$54.0 ₩72.0K

-18.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.64 ₩27.5K

$19.65 ₩26.2K

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₩73.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 ₩19.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩15.0K

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

$299 ₩398.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₩23.4M

$25.3K ₩33.8M

-30.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.50 ₩43.4K

$52.7 ₩70.3K

-38.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.36 ₩35.2K

$29.78 ₩39.8K

-11.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ₩85.3K

$66.6 ₩88.9K

-4.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₩120.0K

$90.8 ₩121.2K

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₩678.7K

$461 ₩615.2K

10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₩493.5K

$388 ₩518.2K

-4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 ₩1.6M

$1,372 ₩1.8M

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₩992.9K

$1,192 ₩1.6M

-37.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,980 ₩10.7M

$10.8K ₩14.4M

-25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,343 ₩8.5M

$6,659 ₩8.9M

-4.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,834 ₩3.8M

$1,883 ₩2.5M

50.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

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

Last update for Gwangju: October 24, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gwangju

$370 27.6%

Jeju

–

Groceries & Markets

Gwangju

$308 23%

Jeju

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gwangju

$277 20.6%

Jeju

–

Eating Out

Gwangju

$134 10%

Jeju

–

Clothing & Footwear

Gwangju

$96 7.1%

Jeju

–

Getting Around

Gwangju

$79 5.9%

Jeju

–

Sport & Entertainment

Gwangju

$78 5.8%

Jeju

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Gwangju and $461 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $34 in Gwangju vs $52 in Jeju. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $142, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gwangju

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

08:42 8:42 AM

Same time as Gwangju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,467,996

469,279

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 about 17% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $508 in Gwangju versus $461 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Gwangju. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $34 versus $52 in Jeju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Jeju gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Safety-wise, Gwangju and Jeju are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Jeju wins on affordability, Gwangju on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.