Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Changwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Changwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,492 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,290 in Jeju versus $2,305 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,246 in Jeju versus $3,119 in Changwon.

Living in Jeju costs roughly 11% less than in Changwon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jeju 0% above, Changwon 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 ₩10.2K

$7.19 ₩10.9K

-6.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩77.5K

$27.41 ₩41.5K

86.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₩6,124

$5.05 ₩7,648

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$5.21 ₩7,898

$3.58 ₩5,419

45.53%

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

$2.42 ₩3,660

$1.80 ₩2,728

34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,087

$1.00 ₩1,520

-28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ₩6,034

$2.91 ₩4,413

36.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,658

$4.34 ₩6,569

31.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,248

$2.37 ₩3,588

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,404

$3.47 ₩5,261

-35.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₩3,379

$3.03 ₩4,589

-26.40%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,952

$2.87 ₩4,342

-9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.0K

$10.38 ₩15.7K

1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$8.03 ₩12.2K

5.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.80 ₩42.1K

$27.30 ₩41.4K

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.6K

$8.50 ₩12.9K

-9.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,735

$3.18 ₩4,818

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,600

$7.37 ₩11.2K

-22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩8,109

$5.24 ₩7,935

2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,576

$5.17 ₩7,838

-41.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,865

$2.96 ₩4,481

-36.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,292

$2.02 ₩3,054

7.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩695

$1.15 ₩1,744

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,925

$3.34 ₩5,056

-2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩25.7K

$16.44 ₩24.9K

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₩2,881

$1.67 ₩2,531

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,442

$3.35 ₩5,083

-51.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₩1,305

$1.08 ₩1,643

-20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₩3,840

$2.73 ₩4,142

-7.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩800

$0.81 ₩1,225

-34.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩13.0K

$16.50 ₩25.0K

-48.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,913

$1.16 ₩1,762

8.62%

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

$28.0K ₩42.4M

$28.3K ₩42.8M

-0.89%

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

$24.8K ₩37.5M

$24.8K ₩37.6M

-0.13%

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

$159 ₩240.9K

$188 ₩284.5K

-15.32%

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

$34.67 ₩52.5K

$50.2 ₩76.1K

-30.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₩29.5K

$27.31 ₩41.4K

-28.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 ₩54.9K

$51.1 ₩77.5K

-29.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.5K

$11.21 ₩17.0K

-2.94%

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

$367 ₩556.3K

$486 ₩736.0K

-24.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ₩36.8M

$14.2K ₩21.5M

71.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩77.7K

$104 ₩157.7K

-50.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ₩44.7K

$48.44 ₩73.4K

-39.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 ₩100.5K

$89.4 ₩135.4K

-25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₩135.5K

$118 ₩178.4K

-24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₩759.2K

$450 ₩681.9K

11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩609.2K

$378 ₩573.4K

6.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₩1.5M

$1,063 ₩1.6M

-4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₩1.7M

$775 ₩1.2M

48.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,672 ₩2.5M

$1,479 ₩2.2M

13.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Jeju and $450 in Changwon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeju pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Jeju vs $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $444, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

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 Changwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju and Changwon differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,334 vs $1,492 including rent). Jeju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Jeju pays 13% more on average, 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: $501 in Jeju versus $450 in Changwon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,334 per month in Jeju versus $1,492 in Changwon – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,492 in Changwon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Jeju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jeju and Changwon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jeju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.