Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Cheongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Cheongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,289 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,290 in Jeju versus $1,929 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,246 in Jeju versus $2,569 in Cheongju.

Living in Jeju is roughly 3% more expensive than Cheongju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeju is 0% above, Cheongju is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 ₩10.2K

$7.01 ₩10.6K

-4.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩77.5K

$36.48 ₩55.3K

40.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₩6,124

$4.80 ₩7,278

-15.83%

Cappuccino

$5.21 ₩7,898

$4.00 ₩6,062

30.25%

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

$2.42 ₩3,660

$1.79 ₩2,711

35.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,087

$1.32 ₩2,002

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ₩6,034

$3.76 ₩5,702

5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,658

$5.73 ₩8,679

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,248

$2.07 ₩3,141

3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,404

$3.48 ₩5,273

-35.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₩3,379

$1.81 ₩2,736

23.20%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,952

$2.23 ₩3,378

17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.0K

$10.59 ₩16.0K

-0.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$8.08 ₩12.2K

4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.80 ₩42.1K

$14.84 ₩22.5K

87.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.6K

$2.97 ₩4,504

157.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,735

$3.03 ₩4,584

2.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,600

$7.39 ₩11.2K

-23.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩8,109

$5.14 ₩7,796

4.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,576

$5.09 ₩7,718

-40.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,865

$3.05 ₩4,614

-38.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,292

$2.08 ₩3,155

4.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩695

$0.42 ₩642

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,925

$3.35 ₩5,073

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩25.7K

$13.09 ₩19.8K

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₩2,881

$1.70 ₩2,569

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,442

$2.24 ₩3,396

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₩1,305

$1.20 ₩1,820

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 ₩110.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₩3,840

$2.69 ₩4,075

-5.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩800

$0.84 ₩1,274

-36.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩13.0K

$16.68 ₩25.3K

-48.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,913

$1.21 ₩1,834

4.13%

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

$28.0K ₩42.4M

$27.4K ₩41.5M

2.32%

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

$24.8K ₩37.5M

$24.9K ₩37.8M

-0.66%

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

$159 ₩240.9K

$190 ₩287.5K

-16.20%

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

$34.67 ₩52.5K

$24.35 ₩36.9K

42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₩29.5K

$14.94 ₩22.6K

30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 ₩54.9K

$61.6 ₩93.3K

-41.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.42 ₩50.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.5K

$7.33 ₩11.1K

48.43%

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

$367 ₩556.3K

$487 ₩737.3K

-24.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ₩36.8M

$14.3K ₩21.6M

70.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩77.7K

$37.46 ₩56.8K

36.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ₩44.7K

$48.19 ₩73.0K

-38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 ₩100.5K

$87.1 ₩132.0K

-23.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₩135.5K

$110 ₩165.9K

-18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₩759.2K

$301 ₩456.8K

66.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩609.2K

$241 ₩365.1K

66.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₩1.5M

$418 ₩633.4K

143.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₩1.7M

$295 ₩447.2K

289.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.8M

$9,787 ₩14.8M

0.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.1M

$5,202 ₩7.9M

2.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,672 ₩2.5M

$2,352 ₩3.6M

-28.90%

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 Cheongju: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Jeju and $301 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 41% 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 $36.00 in Cheongju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $351 per month, with Cheongju cheaper across the board.

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

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Jeju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cheongju earns 41% less. 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: $501 in Jeju versus $301 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $367 in Jeju versus $487 in Cheongju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheongju – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $51.0 in Jeju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,289 in Cheongju versus $1,334 in Jeju, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Jeju. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju 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 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.

Expats usually find Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Jeju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.