Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Daegu

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,569 in Daegu, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. The total is higher in Daegu despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Daegu
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Daegu Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Daegu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,569

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Daegu

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,569 in Daegu, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Daegu $1,569

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,404 in Daegu, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Daegu $2,404

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $3,239 in Daegu, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Daegu $3,239

Jeju is about 29% cheaper than Daegu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Daegu is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,772

$9.14 ₩12.2K

-19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.2K

$37.29 ₩49.7K

39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,486

$5.43 ₩7,246

3.31%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,825

$4.05 ₩5,397

44.94%

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

$2.19 ₩2,920

$1.58 ₩2,112

38.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,750

$0.91 ₩1,218

126.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,239

$3.80 ₩5,062

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,097

$5.22 ₩6,958

-41.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,014

$2.51 ₩3,353

-9.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,076

$4.35 ₩5,799

-46.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,081

$2.70 ₩3,599

-14.44%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,494

$2.83 ₩3,779

-7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₩13.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 ₩9,500

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.04 ₩28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$6.57 ₩8,762

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,936

$2.67 ₩3,565

-17.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 ₩7,391

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 ₩7,760

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,956

$2.68 ₩3,568

10.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,493

$2.14 ₩2,853

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,034

$4.44 ₩5,916

-48.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩624

$1.40 ₩1,862

-66.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₩3,954

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.3K

$15.03 ₩20.0K

-23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,462

$2.26 ₩3,007

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,292

$2.38 ₩3,175

-27.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,319

$1.16 ₩1,552

-14.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 ₩101.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₩4,320

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩821

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ₩10.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,833

$1.30 ₩1,735

5.38%

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

$28.5K ₩37.9M

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

$40.9K ₩54.6M

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

$214 ₩285.4K

$279 ₩372.2K

-23.33%

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

$54.0 ₩72.0K

$50.1 ₩66.8K

7.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.2K

$47.19 ₩62.9K

-58.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ₩68.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 ₩15.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 ₩14.9K

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

$530 ₩707.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.7M

$28.5K ₩38.0M

-11.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.2K

$56.6 ₩75.4K

-6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.7K

$50.5 ₩67.4K

-41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩88.8K

$96.4 ₩128.5K

-30.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.0K

$170 ₩227.3K

-46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩614.5K

$425 ₩567.4K

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩517.6K

$272 ₩362.6K

42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,042 ₩1.4M

31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$606 ₩808.8K

96.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$7,269 ₩9.7M

48.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$5,404 ₩7.2M

23.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,451 ₩3.3M

-23.17%

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Daegu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Daegu

$413 26.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Daegu

$376 24%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Daegu

$272 17.3%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Daegu

$177 11.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Daegu

$168 10.7%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Daegu

$87 5.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Daegu

$74 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $425 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 30% 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 in Jeju versus $37 in Daegu. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $413 in Daegu – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Daegu

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

2,528,933

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Jeju Daegu 320 km

From you

Jeju
Daegu

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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,118 in Jeju, $1,569 in Daegu – Jeju comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $2,353 in Daegu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Jeju and $425 in Daegu. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $37 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 $1,118 in Jeju and $1,569 in Daegu. That makes Jeju about 29% cheaper.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Daegu at $1,569. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daegu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Daegu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.