Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,111 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$2,984
/mo nomad
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,111
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,984 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,111 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $2,984
  • Jeju $1,111

A couple spends around $4,558 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,874 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $4,558
  • Jeju $1,874

A family of three spends $6,132 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,637 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $6,132
  • Jeju $2,637

Hong Kong costs about 168% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hong Kong sits 123% above the global median, while Jeju is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.46 HK$66.4
$7.26 ₩9,726
16.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.2 HK$496
$52.0 ₩69.7K
21.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.20 HK$48.66
$5.44 ₩7,291
13.97%
Cappuccino
$4.90 HK$38.41
$6.03 ₩8,080
-18.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 HK$10.01
$2.22 ₩2,981
-42.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 HK$8.31
$1.94 ₩2,595
-45.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.68 HK$60.3
$3.58 ₩4,796
114.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.28 HK$49.24
$2.91 ₩3,898
115.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.86 HK$22.45
$2.22 ₩2,980
28.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.43 HK$19.10
$2.21 ₩2,961
9.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 HK$17.09
$2.29 ₩3,072
-4.80%
Eggs
$3.54 HK$27.80
$2.70 ₩3,613
31.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.12 HK$197
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 HK$69.8
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.63 HK$138
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.11 HK$32.22
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 HK$21.32
$2.13 ₩2,859
27.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.59 HK$36.05
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 HK$31.52
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$3.25 HK$25.50
$2.93 ₩3,925
10.92%
Onion (1kg)
$3.27 HK$25.70
$1.87 ₩2,506
74.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.60 HK$12.54
$2.18 ₩2,925
-26.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 HK$13.56
$0.43 ₩577
302.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.14 HK$103
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$16.59 HK$130
$11.41 ₩15.3K
45.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 HK$15.80
$1.93 ₩2,588
4.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 HK$17.13
$1.72 ₩2,300
26.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 HK$11.31
$0.95 ₩1,272
51.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.1 HK$699
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 HK$28.53
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 HK$10.29
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.82 HK$124
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.06 HK$31.89
$1.39 ₩1,857
192.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.4K HK$348.2K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K HK$293.2K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$247 HK$1,942
$210 ₩281.8K
17.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.89 HK$125
$54.7 ₩73.3K
-70.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.46 HK$168
$19.28 ₩25.8K
11.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$91.4 HK$717
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.08 HK$71.3
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.96 HK$110
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,155 HK$9,067
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K HK$174.6K
$24.6K ₩32.9M
-9.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.9 HK$541
$52.2 ₩70.0K
31.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.44 HK$317
$29.57 ₩39.6K
36.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 HK$627
$65.8 ₩88.1K
21.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 HK$923
$89.9 ₩120.5K
30.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,180 HK$17.1K
$460 ₩616.5K
373.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,718 HK$13.5K
$382 ₩511.3K
350.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,047 HK$39.6K
$1,317 ₩1.8M
283.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,543 HK$27.8K
$1,145 ₩1.5M
209.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.1K HK$228.7K
$10.4K ₩13.9M
180.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.6K HK$137.9K
$6,745 ₩9.0M
160.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong
Jeju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,228 HK$25.3K
$1,840 ₩2.5M
75.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.91
0
-

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 4, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
$1.7K
Jeju
$382 77.8% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
$415
Jeju
$139 * 66.4% $275
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
$285
Jeju
$284 0.2% $0.5
Eating Out
Hong Kong
$205
Jeju
$187 8.9% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
$138
Jeju
$107 22.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
$119
Jeju
- * 100%
Getting Around
Hong Kong
$105
Jeju
$3.8 * 96.4% $101

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,180 in Hong Kong versus $460 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 75% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Hong Kong versus $52.0 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $139 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇰🇷 Jeju
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
16:46 4:46 PM
1 h ahead of Hong Kong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,367,900 Capital
469,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.8 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hong Kong Jeju 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hong Kong
  • Jeju

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
Hong Kong vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hong Kong and in Jeju compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,984 in Hong Kong, $1,111 in Jeju – roughly 168% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Hong Kong compared to Jeju?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,476 per month in Hong Kong and $1,667 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hong Kong and Jeju?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Hong Kong and $52.0 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: Hong Kong or Jeju?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,984 in Hong Kong and $1,111 in Jeju. That's a gap of about 168%.
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 $1,111, than in Hong Kong at $2,984. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hong Kong and Jeju?
It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,111 in Jeju to $2,984 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hong Kong or Jeju safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Hong Kong and Jeju?
If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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