Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Bucheon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,490 in Bucheon, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. The total is higher in Bucheon despite lower rent and utilities.

Jeju, South Korea
Bucheon, South Korea
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,118
/mo nomad
Bucheon
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,490
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Bucheon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jeju and in Bucheon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,490 in Bucheon, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,118
  • Bucheon $1,490

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,399 in Bucheon, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,917
  • Bucheon $2,399

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $3,308 in Bucheon, rent included.

  • Jeju $2,715
  • Bucheon $3,308

Jeju is about 25% cheaper than Bucheon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Bucheon is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.33 ₩9,822
$9.03 ₩12.1K
-18.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9 ₩69.5K
$68.1 ₩91.3K
-23.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ₩7,525
$7.49 ₩10.0K
-25.10%
Cappuccino
$5.87 ₩7,865
$4.18 ₩5,607
40.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ₩2,935
$1.54 ₩2,068
42.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ₩2,764
$0.81 ₩1,081
154.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ₩5,266
$3.66 ₩4,903
7.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₩4,118
$5.86 ₩7,855
-47.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ₩3,029
$2.05 ₩2,747
10.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 ₩3,091
$3.09 ₩4,142
-25.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₩3,097
$4.40 ₩5,901
-47.50%
Eggs
$2.62 ₩3,512
$3.73 ₩4,996
-29.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$17.50 ₩23.5K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.55 ₩14.1K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$26.16 ₩35.1K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$7.64 ₩10.2K
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ₩2,951
$3.43 ₩4,593
-35.86%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₩7,834
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$6.35 ₩8,516
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.97 ₩3,976
$3.77 ₩5,052
-21.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 ₩2,505
$2.60 ₩3,481
-28.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 ₩3,050
$2.84 ₩3,805
-19.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₩627
$1.16 ₩1,558
-59.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.40 ₩4,558
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.48 ₩15.4K
$18.79 ₩25.2K
-38.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₩2,475
$2.28 ₩3,049
-18.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₩2,304
$3.24 ₩4,348
-46.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ₩1,326
$1.16 ₩1,550
-14.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.67 ₩4,925
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.60 ₩800
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.84 ₩11.9K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ₩1,842
$1.46 ₩1,955
-6.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.0K ₩40.2M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$28.5K ₩38.3M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ₩286.8K
$215 ₩287.9K
-0.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.0 ₩72.3K
$35.76 ₩47.9K
50.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.65 ₩26.3K
$20.84 ₩27.9K
-5.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$55.1 ₩73.8K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.32 ₩19.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.13 ₩14.9K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$374 ₩501.6K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.3K ₩33.9M
$23.1K ₩30.9M
9.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₩70.6K
$59.1 ₩79.2K
-10.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.78 ₩39.9K
$33.12 ₩44.4K
-10.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.6 ₩89.2K
$70.3 ₩94.2K
-5.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 ₩121.6K
$81.9 ₩109.8K
10.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$461 ₩617.7K
$497 ₩665.9K
-7.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$388 ₩520.3K
$357 ₩478.9K
8.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 ₩1.8M
$1,199 ₩1.6M
14.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 ₩1.6M
$740 ₩991.6K
61.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K ₩14.4M
$7,114 ₩9.5M
51.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,659 ₩8.9M
$5,501 ₩7.4M
21.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeju
Bucheon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,883 ₩2.5M
$1,529 ₩2.0M
23.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.08
-

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bucheon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$479
Accommodation & Living
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$357
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$271
Eating Out
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$184
Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$110
Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$77
Getting Around
Jeju
–
Bucheon
$11 *

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $497 in Bucheon. 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 23% higher in Jeju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $68 in Bucheon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $142 vs $479 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Jeju
🇰🇷 Bucheon
🕒 Local time
12:08 12:08 PM
12:08 12:08 PM
Same time as Jeju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,279
848,191
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
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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
Jeju vs Bucheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Jeju and in Bucheon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,118 in Jeju, $1,490 in Bucheon – Jeju comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Jeju compared to Bucheon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $2,236 in Bucheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Jeju and in Bucheon?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Jeju and $497 in Bucheon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $68 in Bucheon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Jeju or Bucheon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,118 in Jeju and $1,490 in Bucheon. That makes Jeju about 25% cheaper.
Is Jeju or Bucheon safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Jeju vs other spots: cost of living compared

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