Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Daegu Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Daegu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,089 per month in Jeju vs $1,529 in Daegu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,883 per month in Jeju vs $2,380 in Daegu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,677 per month in Jeju vs $3,231 in Daegu, rent included.

Jeju is about 29% cheaper than Daegu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jeju sits 20% below the global median, while Daegu is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₩10.2K

$9.10 ₩12.6K

-18.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₩71.4K

$37.40 ₩51.6K

38.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 ₩7,532

$5.58 ₩7,702

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$5.72 ₩7,899

$3.94 ₩5,443

45.18%

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

$2.18 ₩3,011

$1.54 ₩2,131

41.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₩2,639

$0.89 ₩1,226

114.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₩4,672

$3.63 ₩5,015

-6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₩4,205

$5.39 ₩7,442

-43.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,100

$2.38 ₩3,287

-5.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,111

$4.27 ₩5,893

-47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₩3,025

$2.76 ₩3,804

-20.65%

Eggs

$2.66 ₩3,669

$2.71 ₩3,742

-1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₩14.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 ₩9,796

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 ₩28.4K

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ₩9,324

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ₩2,920

$2.71 ₩3,738

-21.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩7,731

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 ₩8,081

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,125

$2.71 ₩3,738

10.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₩2,618

$2.06 ₩2,846

-7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩3,020

$4.41 ₩6,090

-50.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩593

$1.32 ₩1,821

-67.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₩4,151

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ₩15.1K

$15.00 ₩20.7K

-27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₩2,636

$2.11 ₩2,914

-9.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,330

$2.42 ₩3,346

-30.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₩1,310

$1.10 ₩1,514

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 ₩100.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 ₩4,387

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₩838

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 ₩11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₩1,756

$1.34 ₩1,848

-5.22%

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

$27.6K ₩38.0M

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

$41.3K ₩57.0M

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

$208 ₩286.9K

$269 ₩370.8K

-22.61%

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

$54.4 ₩75.0K

$49.74 ₩68.7K

9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩27.3K

$46.36 ₩64.0K

-57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 ₩70.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.05 ₩16.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 ₩15.4K

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

$512 ₩707.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K ₩33.9M

$28.1K ₩38.8M

-12.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ₩71.9K

$54.3 ₩75.0K

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.94 ₩41.3K

$50.9 ₩70.2K

-41.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ₩89.7K

$94.3 ₩130.2K

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩125.3K

$168 ₩232.0K

-46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₩643.6K

$413 ₩570.0K

12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩517.5K

$266 ₩366.8K

41.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 ₩1.8M

$1,041 ₩1.4M

27.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 ₩1.6M

$609 ₩840.8K

92.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K ₩14.2M

$6,956 ₩9.6M

47.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,750 ₩9.3M

$5,427 ₩7.5M

24.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,854 ₩2.6M

$2,448 ₩3.4M

-24.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.07

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

Last update for Jeju: September 14, 2026

Last update for Daegu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Jeju versus $413 in Daegu. 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 32% higher in Daegu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jeju versus $37.00 in Daegu. Groceries tell a different story – $139 in Jeju vs $409 in Daegu – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,089 in Jeju, $1,529 in Daegu – roughly 40% apart. Daegu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,633 per month in Jeju and $2,294 in Daegu. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jeju and $37.00 in Daegu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,089 in Jeju and $1,529 in Daegu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,089, than in Daegu at $1,529. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daegu 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, Daegu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.