Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Daejeon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,341 in Daejeon, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. The total is higher in Daejeon despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Daejeon
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Daejeon Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,107

/mo nomad

Daejeon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,341

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Daejeon

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

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Jeju vs $1,341 in Daejeon, rent included.

Jeju $1,107
Daejeon $1,341

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Jeju vs $2,098 in Daejeon, rent included.

Jeju $1,875
Daejeon $2,098

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Jeju vs $2,855 in Daejeon, rent included.

Jeju $2,643
Daejeon $2,855

Jeju is about 17% cheaper than Daejeon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₩10.1K

$7.25 ₩9,835

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 ₩69.8K

$37.13 ₩50.4K

38.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 ₩7,657

$5.35 ₩7,254

5.42%

Cappuccino

$6.14 ₩8,327

$3.76 ₩5,100

63.30%

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

$2.28 ₩3,096

$1.21 ₩1,639

88.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₩2,654

$0.67 ₩905

192.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ₩5,435

$3.44 ₩4,674

16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₩4,107

$3.76 ₩5,099

-19.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,009

$2.12 ₩2,874

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 ₩2,946

$2.62 ₩3,554

-17.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₩2,949

$2.60 ₩3,534

-16.54%

Eggs

$2.68 ₩3,642

$2.47 ₩3,348

8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₩14.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 ₩10.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 ₩27.9K

Apples (1kg)

$11.11 ₩15.1K

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₩2,966

$5.48 ₩7,432

-60.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,650

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩8,158

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,122

$5.26 ₩7,140

-42.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,562

$2.67 ₩3,629

-29.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,955

$1.65 ₩2,233

32.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₩596

$1.13 ₩1,529

-61.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,483

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 ₩15.1K

$18.95 ₩25.7K

-41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₩2,488

$2.59 ₩3,514

-29.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,291

$4.14 ₩5,612

-59.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₩1,375

$1.14 ₩1,545

-11.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.10 ₩15.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ₩4,300

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₩899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 ₩20.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,793

$1.33 ₩1,799

-0.75%

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

$27.6K ₩37.4M

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

$23.6K ₩32.1M

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

$209 ₩283.8K

$171 ₩231.7K

22.51%

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

$53.5 ₩72.6K

$42.21 ₩57.3K

26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.48 ₩26.4K

$22.27 ₩30.2K

-12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.91 ₩46.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 ₩15.3K

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

$307 ₩416.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K ₩33.9M

$21.7K ₩29.4M

15.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₩70.2K

$62.7 ₩85.0K

-17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 ₩40.2K

$41.43 ₩56.2K

-28.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 ₩89.8K

$91.3 ₩123.8K

-27.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 ₩119.3K

$106 ₩143.2K

-16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩620.7K

$374 ₩507.0K

22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₩519.8K

$297 ₩403.6K

28.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 ₩1.8M

$1,028 ₩1.4M

29.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 ₩1.5M

$595 ₩806.9K

89.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₩14.1M

$5,547 ₩7.5M

87.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,701 ₩9.1M

$4,478 ₩6.1M

49.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,825 ₩2.5M

$2,404 ₩3.3M

-24.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

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

Last update for Jeju: October 31, 2026

Last update for Daejeon: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$443 33%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$297 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$235 17.5%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$151 11.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$135 10.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$56 4.2%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Daejeon

$22 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Jeju versus $374 in Daejeon. 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 Daejeon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Jeju versus $37 in Daejeon. Groceries tell a different story – $138 in Jeju vs $443 in Daejeon – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Daejeon

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

1,537,324

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.37 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.56 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.37 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Jeju Daejeon 330 km

From you

Jeju
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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 Daejeon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daejeon costs about 21% 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 $2,012 in Daejeon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daejeon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $374 there versus $457 in Jeju.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,107 in Jeju and $1,341 in Daejeon. That makes Jeju about 17% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 221% more in Daejeon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,107 in Jeju and $1,341 in Daejeon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Daejeon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.