Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,111 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
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Jeju Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,111

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Budapest

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

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Jeju vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Jeju $1,111
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Jeju vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Jeju $1,874
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Jeju vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Jeju $2,637
Budapest $3,489

Jeju is about 31% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 17% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 ₩9,726

$13.99 Ft 4,551

-48.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 ₩69.7K

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

-13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,291

$9.96 Ft 3,241

-45.38%

Cappuccino

$6.03 ₩8,080

$3.38 Ft 1,100

78.40%

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

$2.22 ₩2,981

$2.13 Ft 692

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,595

$1.87 Ft 608

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩4,796

$3.75 Ft 1,221

-4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₩3,898

$3.57 Ft 1,162

-18.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩2,980

$1.13 Ft 368

96.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ₩2,961

$1.84 Ft 599

20.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,072

$2.39 Ft 777

-4.18%

Eggs

$2.70 ₩3,613

$3.83 Ft 1,245

-29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₩2,859

$2.01 Ft 653

5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₩3,925

$0.96 Ft 313

205.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,506

$1.03 Ft 334

81.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,925

$1.56 Ft 509

39.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩577

$0.66 Ft 216

-34.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 ₩15.3K

$6.01 Ft 1,954

89.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₩2,588

$1.30 Ft 421

48.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,300

$2.08 Ft 676

-17.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₩1,272

$1.50 Ft 489

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,857

$1.81 Ft 591

-23.20%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

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

$210 ₩281.8K

$170 Ft 55.3K

23.77%

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

$54.7 ₩73.3K

$23.98 Ft 7,802

128.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.28 ₩25.8K

$23.42 Ft 7,621

-17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K ₩32.9M

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

47.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₩70.0K

$101 Ft 33.0K

-48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ₩39.6K

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-31.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 ₩88.1K

$113 Ft 36.7K

-41.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₩120.5K

$119 Ft 38.6K

-24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩616.5K

$805 Ft 262.0K

-42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩511.3K

$629 Ft 204.7K

-39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₩1.8M

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

-15.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 ₩1.5M

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

-1.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₩13.9M

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

84.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,745 ₩9.0M

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

69.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,840 ₩2.5M

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

13.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

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

Last update for Jeju: October 3, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

$382 34.6%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 64.9% $248

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

$284 25.8%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 23.6% $67

Eating Out

Jeju

$187 17%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 19.9% $37

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

$139 * 12.6%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 84.7% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

$107 9.7%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 58.2% $62

Getting Around

Jeju

$3.8 * 0.3%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 1043% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

- * 0%

Budapest

$85 5.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Jeju versus $805 in Budapest. 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 13% 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 $52.0 in Jeju versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $258 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

15:23 3:23 PM

08:23 8:23 AM

7 h behind Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

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).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Between locations

Jeju Budapest 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Jeju
Budapest

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

Jeju vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Jeju and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jeju and $60.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.