Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Cheonan

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,467 in Cheonan, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. The total is higher in Cheonan despite lower rent and utilities.

67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
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Jeju Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Cheonan
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Cheonan Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,107

/mo nomad

Cheonan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,467

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Cheonan

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

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Jeju vs $1,467 in Cheonan, rent included.

Jeju $1,107
Cheonan $1,467

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Jeju vs $2,259 in Cheonan, rent included.

Jeju $1,900
Cheonan $2,259

A family of three spends $2,694 per month in Jeju vs $3,051 in Cheonan, rent included.

Jeju $2,694
Cheonan $3,051

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

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Cheonan is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 ₩9,835

$7.53 ₩10.0K

-1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 ₩70.7K

$22.63 ₩30.1K

135.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,233

$4.28 ₩5,693

27.10%

Cappuccino

$5.75 ₩7,640

$1.47 ₩1,951

291.16%

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

$2.21 ₩2,945

$1.16 ₩1,538

90.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,575

$1.40 ₩1,867

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$2.28 ₩3,031

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₩4,050

$4.40 ₩5,853

-30.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩2,998

$1.60 ₩2,125

41.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ₩3,060

$3.22 ₩4,287

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₩2,941

$3.07 ₩4,078

-28.01%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,444

$2.61 ₩3,476

-0.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₩14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₩13.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.11 ₩33.4K

Apples (1kg)

$11.23 ₩14.9K

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₩2,867

$3.73 ₩4,965

-42.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.07 ₩10.7K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ₩8,035

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,047

$6.10 ₩8,106

-50.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ₩2,454

$3.34 ₩4,438

-44.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩2,908

$2.75 ₩3,651

-20.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩620

$1.33 ₩1,765

-64.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,494

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 ₩14.9K

$18.30 ₩24.3K

-38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,490

$2.43 ₩3,229

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₩2,200

$3.35 ₩4,454

-50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,370

$1.14 ₩1,509

-9.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 ₩4,050

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,036

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.69 ₩22.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₩1,762

$1.24 ₩1,650

7.26%

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

$29.7K ₩39.5M

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

$34.2K ₩45.5M

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

$216 ₩287.8K

$199 ₩264.9K

8.67%

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

$53.7 ₩71.4K

$35.67 ₩47.4K

50.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.50 ₩25.9K

$27.08 ₩36.0K

-27.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ₩15.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 ₩16.1K

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

$636 ₩845.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.6M

$21.5K ₩28.6M

17.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

$66.2 ₩88.0K

-22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 ₩40.4K

$59.5 ₩79.1K

-48.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 ₩88.5K

$92.6 ₩123.1K

-28.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 ₩119.2K

$127 ₩168.9K

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩614.5K

$478 ₩636.1K

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₩506.9K

$361 ₩479.5K

5.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 ₩1.8M

$1,153 ₩1.5M

18.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 ₩1.6M

$739 ₩982.3K

58.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K ₩13.8M

$7,244 ₩9.6M

42.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,733 ₩9.0M

$5,422 ₩7.2M

24.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 ₩2.5M

$1,824 ₩2.4M

1.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Jeju: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

$381 34.5%

Cheonan

$361 24.6% 5.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

$290 26.2%

Cheonan

$262 17.9% 9.6% $28

Eating Out

Jeju

$184 16.7%

Cheonan

$121 8.3% 34.3% $63

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

$140 * 12.7%

Cheonan

$480 32.8% 243% $340

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

$107 9.7%

Cheonan

$155 10.6% 45% $48

Getting Around

Jeju

$4.1 * 0.4%

Cheonan

$11 * 0.8% 179% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

- * 0%

Cheonan

$76 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 $462 in Jeju versus $478 in Cheonan. 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 2% 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 $53.0 in Jeju versus $23.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $140 in Jeju vs $480 in Cheonan – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Cheonan

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

658,486

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan costs about 33% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Jeju and $2,200 in Cheonan. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,107 in Jeju and $1,467 in Cheonan. That's a gap of about 33%.

Groceries cost about 243% more in Cheonan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Cheonan at $1,467. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan 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, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.