Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gimhae Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gimhae

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,487 in Gimhae.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,290 in Jeju versus $2,342 in Gimhae.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,246 in Jeju versus $3,196 in Gimhae.

Living in Jeju costs roughly 10% less than in Gimhae, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jeju 0% above, Gimhae 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 ₩10.3K

$6.98 ₩10.7K

-3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩78.4K

$36.17 ₩55.4K

41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₩6,192

$6.22 ₩9,536

-35.05%

Cappuccino

$5.21 ₩7,986

$4.18 ₩6,408

24.64%

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

$2.42 ₩3,701

$1.88 ₩2,877

28.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,099

$1.33 ₩2,032

-45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ₩6,101

$3.57 ₩5,472

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,755

$5.92 ₩9,064

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,284

$2.31 ₩3,543

-7.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,443

$3.51 ₩5,377

-35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₩3,417

$2.99 ₩4,587

-25.42%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,997

$3.01 ₩4,613

-13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.1K

$10.42 ₩16.0K

1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩13.0K

$8.00 ₩12.3K

5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.80 ₩42.6K

$27.52 ₩42.2K

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.7K

$8.30 ₩12.7K

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,787

$3.23 ₩4,942

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,696

$7.29 ₩11.2K

-22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩8,200

$5.20 ₩7,964

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,627

$5.12 ₩7,845

-41.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,897

$2.92 ₩4,479

-35.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,329

$2.04 ₩3,120

6.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩702

$1.17 ₩1,787

-60.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,981

$3.35 ₩5,138

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩26.0K

$16.45 ₩25.2K

3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₩2,914

$1.77 ₩2,707

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,469

$3.34 ₩5,118

-51.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₩1,319

$1.07 ₩1,644

-19.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$3.61 ₩5,528

-29.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩809

$0.78 ₩1,201

-32.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩13.1K

$16.51 ₩25.3K

-48.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,934

$1.22 ₩1,876

3.28%

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

$28.0K ₩42.9M

$27.6K ₩42.3M

1.54%

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

$24.8K ₩38.0M

$24.6K ₩37.7M

0.75%

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

$159 ₩243.6K

$189 ₩289.7K

-15.91%

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

$34.67 ₩53.1K

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₩29.8K

$27.71 ₩42.5K

-29.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 ₩55.5K

$47.25 ₩72.4K

-23.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.7K

$11.60 ₩17.8K

-6.21%

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

$367 ₩562.6K

$490 ₩751.4K

-25.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ₩37.2M

$13.9K ₩21.3M

74.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩78.6K

$102 ₩156.1K

-49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ₩45.2K

$46.96 ₩71.9K

-37.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 ₩101.6K

$87.8 ₩134.5K

-24.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₩137.0K

$116 ₩177.8K

-22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₩767.7K

$447 ₩684.3K

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩616.0K

$381 ₩583.1K

5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₩1.6M

$1,060 ₩1.6M

-4.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₩1.8M

$752 ₩1.2M

52.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩15.0M

$8,333 ₩12.8M

17.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.2M

$5,964 ₩9.1M

-10.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,672 ₩2.6M

$2,253 ₩3.5M

-25.79%

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 Gimhae: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Jeju and $447 in Gimhae. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gimhae pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Jeju vs $36.00 in Gimhae. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $444, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gimhae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Gimhae. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jeju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gimhae earns 35% 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 $447 in Gimhae. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $367 in Jeju versus $490 in Gimhae. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,487 in Gimhae, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Gimhae. The gap between the two cities makes Jeju 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 Gimhae 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 Jeju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Gimhae. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.