Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,522 in Gongju, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. The total is higher in Gongju despite lower rent and utilities.

Jeju, South Korea
Gongju, South Korea
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,107
/mo nomad
Gongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,522
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Gongju

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

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Jeju vs $1,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,107
  • Gongju $1,522

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Jeju vs $2,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,875
  • Gongju $2,522

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Jeju vs $3,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $2,643
  • Gongju $3,522

Jeju is about 27% cheaper than Gongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Gongju is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.46 ₩10.0K
$7.24 ₩9,731
3.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.4 ₩69.1K
$47.72 ₩64.1K
7.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.64 ₩7,583
$6.68 ₩8,978
-15.57%
Cappuccino
$6.14 ₩8,246
$3.70 ₩4,973
65.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 ₩3,066
$1.80 ₩2,423
26.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ₩2,629
$1.38 ₩1,854
42.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 ₩5,382
$3.65 ₩4,909
9.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 ₩4,067
$4.18 ₩5,620
-27.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 ₩2,980
$2.34 ₩3,139
-5.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.17 ₩2,917
$3.22 ₩4,331
-32.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ₩2,921
$3.03 ₩4,071
-28.38%
Eggs
$2.68 ₩3,606
$2.68 ₩3,598
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.83 ₩14.6K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.45 ₩14.0K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$24.97 ₩33.6K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$11.02 ₩14.8K
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 ₩2,938
$3.65 ₩4,907
-40.00%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$8.16 ₩11.0K
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$6.03 ₩8,101
-
Potato (1kg)
$3.04 ₩4,082
$5.80 ₩7,792
-47.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 ₩2,537
$3.25 ₩4,361
-41.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 ₩2,926
$2.86 ₩3,837
-23.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 ₩590
$1.27 ₩1,710
-65.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.41 ₩4,586
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 ₩14.9K
$18.26 ₩24.5K
-39.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₩2,464
$2.38 ₩3,193
-23.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ₩2,268
$3.60 ₩4,839
-53.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 ₩1,362
$1.20 ₩1,609
-15.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.64 ₩4,887
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.67 ₩897
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$14.65 ₩19.7K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₩1,776
$1.39 ₩1,873
-5.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$39.8K ₩53.4M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.7K ₩45.2M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$209 ₩281.1K
$200 ₩269.2K
4.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5 ₩71.8K
$36.89 ₩49.6K
44.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.48 ₩26.2K
$26.87 ₩36.1K
-27.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$58.3 ₩78.3K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.41 ₩20.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.77 ₩15.8K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$636 ₩855.1K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.0K ₩33.6M
$21.6K ₩29.0M
15.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 ₩69.5K
$105 ₩141.2K
-50.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.62 ₩39.8K
$64.5 ₩86.6K
-54.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.2 ₩88.9K
$92.4 ₩124.2K
-28.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.9 ₩118.2K
$128 ₩172.0K
-31.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$457 ₩614.6K
$424 ₩569.2K
7.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$383 ₩514.7K
$343 ₩460.6K
11.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,330 ₩1.8M
$1,406 ₩1.9M
-5.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,129 ₩1.5M
$936 ₩1.3M
20.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.4K ₩13.9M
$6,877 ₩9.2M
50.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,701 ₩9.0M
$5,486 ₩7.4M
22.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeju
Gongju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,825 ₩2.5M
$1,309 ₩1.8M
39.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.22
-

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

Last update for Jeju: October 31, 2026

Last update for Gongju: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jeju
–
Gongju
$484
Accommodation & Living
Jeju
–
Gongju
$343
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
–
Gongju
$264
Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
–
Gongju
$175
Eating Out
Jeju
–
Gongju
$162
Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
–
Gongju
$82
Getting Around
Jeju
–
Gongju
$12 *

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Jeju versus $424 in Gongju. 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 39% higher in Jeju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Jeju versus $48 in Gongju. Groceries tell a different story – $138 in Jeju vs $484 in Gongju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Jeju
🇰🇷 Gongju
🕒 Local time
20:44 8:44 PM
20:44 8:44 PM
Same time as Jeju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,279
110,428
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1,344 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
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  • Jeju Gongju 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 Gongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Jeju and in Gongju compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,107 in Jeju, $1,522 in Gongju – Jeju comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Jeju compared to Gongju?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Jeju and $2,283 in Gongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Jeju and in Gongju?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $457 in Jeju and $424 in Gongju. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Jeju and $48 in Gongju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Jeju or Gongju?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,107 in Jeju and $1,522 in Gongju. That makes Jeju about 27% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Gongju at $1,522. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Jeju or Gongju safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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