Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Cheongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,409 in Cheongju, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Cheongju despite lower rent and utilities.

68

Cost of Living Index in Cheongju
Learn more

Cheongju Living Index

Jump to prices

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Cheongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,409

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Cheongju

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,118 in Jeju versus $1,409 in Cheongju.

Jeju $1,118
Cheongju $1,409

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Jeju versus $2,329 in Cheongju.

Jeju $1,917
Cheongju $2,329

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,715 in Jeju versus $3,249 in Cheongju.

Jeju $2,715
Cheongju $3,249

Living in Jeju costs roughly 21% less than in Cheongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeju is 18% below, Cheongju is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,840

$7.47 ₩10.0K

-1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.6K

$48.95 ₩65.7K

5.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,538

$5.88 ₩7,898

-4.59%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,879

$3.66 ₩4,909

60.38%

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

$2.19 ₩2,941

$1.84 ₩2,476

19.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,769

$1.40 ₩1,874

47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,276

$3.65 ₩4,906

7.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,125

$4.33 ₩5,816

-29.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.25 ₩3,026

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,097

$3.25 ₩4,370

-28.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,103

$3.05 ₩4,102

-24.26%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,518

$2.73 ₩3,672

-4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 ₩15.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 ₩14.3K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.55 ₩33.0K

Apples (1kg)

$11.40 ₩15.3K

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,957

$3.59 ₩4,819

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.30 ₩11.1K

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ₩7,855

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,983

$5.84 ₩7,842

-49.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,510

$3.43 ₩4,602

-45.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,055

$2.87 ₩3,854

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩628

$1.33 ₩1,779

-64.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ₩4,627

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.4K

$18.71 ₩25.1K

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,479

$2.46 ₩3,303

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,308

$3.40 ₩4,572

-49.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,328

$1.15 ₩1,538

-13.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩4,701

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,021

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.67 ₩22.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,846

$1.36 ₩1,823

0.74%

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

$39.0K ₩52.4M

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

$33.7K ₩45.3M

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

$214 ₩287.4K

$205 ₩275.0K

4.50%

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

$54.0 ₩72.5K

$24.30 ₩32.6K

122.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.4K

$27.72 ₩37.2K

-29.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 ₩71.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ₩18.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 ₩15.9K

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

$651 ₩873.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩34.0M

$21.8K ₩29.3M

15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.7K

$36.84 ₩49.5K

42.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩40.0K

$65.4 ₩87.8K

-54.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩89.4K

$93.9 ₩126.0K

-29.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.9K

$113 ₩152.1K

-19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩618.8K

$342 ₩459.8K

34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩521.2K

$275 ₩369.7K

40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,197 ₩1.6M

14.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$760 ₩1.0M

56.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.5M

$7,228 ₩9.7M

48.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$5,619 ₩7.5M

18.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,613 ₩3.5M

-27.93%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$488 34.6%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$275 19.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$257 18.2%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$161 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$139 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$77 5.5%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Cheongju

$12 * 0.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Jeju and $342 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52 in Jeju vs $49 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $142 vs $488, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Cheongju

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

835,669

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jeju Cheongju 360 km

From you

Jeju
Cheongju

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 Cheongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Cheongju. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Jeju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Jeju. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $461 in Jeju versus $342 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,118 per month in Jeju versus $1,409 in Cheongju – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 245% higher in Cheongju. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

It comes down to priorities – Jeju wins on affordability, Cheongju on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.