Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Jinju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jinju: $1,448 a month against $3,005 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$3,005
/mo nomad
Jinju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,448
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Jinju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,005 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,448 in Jinju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $3,005
  • Jinju $1,448

A couple spends around $4,643 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,429 in Jinju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $4,643
  • Jinju $2,429

A family of three spends $6,281 per month in Hong Kong vs $3,410 in Jinju, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $6,281
  • Jinju $3,410

Hong Kong costs about 108% more than Jinju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hong Kong and Jinju sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 122%, Jinju by 7%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.80 HK$61.2
$8.79 ₩11.7K
-11.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.7 HK$508
$67.2 ₩89.3K
-3.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.24 HK$48.97
$7.33 ₩9,746
-14.87%
Cappuccino
$5.01 HK$39.34
$4.04 ₩5,378
24.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 HK$10.12
$1.63 ₩2,164
-20.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 HK$8.74
$0.79 ₩1,049
40.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 HK$61.0
$3.85 ₩5,117
101.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.41 HK$50.3
$5.96 ₩7,928
7.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.90 HK$22.79
$2.03 ₩2,701
42.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 HK$18.29
$3.14 ₩4,173
-25.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 HK$17.51
$4.40 ₩5,850
-49.32%
Eggs
$3.45 HK$27.04
$3.65 ₩4,850
-5.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.96 HK$196
$17.53 ₩23.3K
42.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.79 HK$69.0
$10.42 ₩13.9K
-15.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.71 HK$139
$25.81 ₩34.3K
-31.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.15 HK$32.59
$7.61 ₩10.1K
-45.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 HK$20.62
$3.38 ₩4,495
-22.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 HK$35.65
$5.69 ₩7,570
-20.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 HK$32.08
$6.44 ₩8,568
-36.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.22 HK$25.25
$3.74 ₩4,968
-13.90%
Onion (1kg)
$3.26 HK$25.56
$2.60 ₩3,455
25.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 HK$12.94
$2.87 ₩3,822
-42.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 HK$13.62
$1.15 ₩1,524
51.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.45 HK$106
$3.28 ₩4,367
310.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.16 HK$119
$18.58 ₩24.7K
-18.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 HK$15.44
$2.36 ₩3,144
-16.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 HK$17.42
$3.20 ₩4,258
-30.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 HK$10.04
$1.15 ₩1,527
11.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.1 HK$707
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 HK$28.84
$3.63 ₩4,823
1.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 HK$10.60
$0.64 ₩846
110.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.21 HK$127
$8.81 ₩11.7K
84.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.20 HK$32.94
$1.49 ₩1,982
181.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.9K HK$352.2K
$29.0K ₩38.6M
54.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K HK$288.9K
$28.1K ₩37.4M
30.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 HK$1,865
$217 ₩288.6K
9.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.70 HK$123
$35.79 ₩47.6K
-56.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.91 HK$172
$20.79 ₩27.6K
5.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$91.1 HK$715
$55.1 ₩73.2K
65.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.14 HK$71.8
$13.25 ₩17.6K
-31.02%
Cinema Ticket
$12.96 HK$102
$11.24 ₩15.0K
15.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,172 HK$9,201
$371 ₩493.2K
216.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.2K HK$174.2K
$22.7K ₩30.2M
-2.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.9 HK$533
$57.7 ₩76.7K
17.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.57 HK$342
$32.31 ₩43.0K
34.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.1 HK$652
$70.2 ₩93.3K
18.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 HK$963
$81.9 ₩108.9K
49.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,255 HK$17.7K
$453 ₩602.1K
397.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 HK$13.7K
$318 ₩423.4K
450.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,173 HK$40.6K
$1,162 ₩1.5M
345.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,543 HK$27.8K
$860 ₩1.1M
312.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.3K HK$229.7K
$6,219 ₩8.3M
370.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.5K HK$137.1K
$6,161 ₩8.2M
183.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong
Jinju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,285 HK$25.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
4.08
-7.11%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 17, 2026

Last update for Jinju: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
$1.8K
Jinju
$318 81.8% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
$410
Jinju
$476 16.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
$275
Jinju
$274 0.6% $1.6
Eating Out
Hong Kong
$203
Jinju
$182 10.3% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
$143
Jinju
$109 23.7% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
$117
Jinju
$78 33.8% $40
Getting Around
Hong Kong
$106
Jinju
$11 * 89.2% $94

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,255 in Hong Kong versus $453 in Jinju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong versus $67.0 in Jinju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $476 – making Hong Kong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇰🇷 Jinju
🕒 Local time
05:18 5:18 AM
06:18 6:18 AM
1 h ahead of Hong Kong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,367,900 Capital
340,548
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hong Kong Jinju 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hong Kong
  • Jinju

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 Jinju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hong Kong and in Jinju compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,005 in Hong Kong, $1,448 in Jinju – roughly 108% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Hong Kong compared to Jinju?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,508 per month in Hong Kong and $2,172 in Jinju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hong Kong and Jinju?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jinju, 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 $65.0 in Hong Kong and $67.0 in Jinju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Hong Kong – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jinju, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Hong Kong at $3,005. In Jinju 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 Jinju?
It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,448 in Jinju to $3,005 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hong Kong or Jinju 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 Jinju?
If budget matters most, go with Jinju. 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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