Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gwangju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,341 in Gwangju, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. The total is higher in Gwangju despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Gwangju
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Gwangju Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Gwangju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,341

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Gwangju

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,118 in Jeju versus $1,341 in Gwangju.

Jeju $1,118
Gwangju $1,341

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Jeju versus $2,048 in Gwangju.

Jeju $1,917
Gwangju $2,048

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,715 in Jeju versus $2,756 in Gwangju.

Jeju $2,715
Gwangju $2,756

Living in Jeju costs roughly 17% less than in Gwangju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeju 18% lower, Gwangju 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,784

$6.02 ₩8,034

21.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.2K

$34.32 ₩45.8K

51.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,495

$5.82 ₩7,772

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,834

$3.17 ₩4,234

85.17%

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

$2.19 ₩2,924

$1.59 ₩2,128

37.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,753

$0.63 ₩843

226.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,245

$2.38 ₩3,179

65.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,102

$4.59 ₩6,135

-33.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,017

$1.72 ₩2,299

31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,079

$2.49 ₩3,329

-7.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,085

$2.29 ₩3,057

0.87%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,498

$2.64 ₩3,521

-0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ₩11.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ₩10.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ₩14.9K

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₩6,894

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,940

$3.02 ₩4,027

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ₩4,971

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,120

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,960

$3.60 ₩4,807

-17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,496

$1.89 ₩2,527

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,038

$2.11 ₩2,822

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩624

$1.28 ₩1,715

-63.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,489

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.3K

$11.19 ₩14.9K

2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,465

$1.51 ₩2,019

22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,295

$2.31 ₩3,083

-25.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,321

$1.01 ₩1,343

-1.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 ₩91.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ₩4,079

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ₩10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,835

$1.20 ₩1,607

14.17%

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

$28.1K ₩37.5M

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

$35.2K ₩47.0M

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

$214 ₩285.7K

$212 ₩282.8K

1.01%

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

$54.0 ₩72.0K

$44.13 ₩58.9K

22.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.2K

$20.64 ₩27.5K

-4.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₩73.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 ₩19.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩15.0K

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

$299 ₩398.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.8M

$17.5K ₩23.4M

44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.3K

$32.50 ₩43.4K

62.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.8K

$26.36 ₩35.2K

12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩88.9K

$63.9 ₩85.3K

4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.2K

$89.9 ₩120.0K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩615.2K

$508 ₩678.7K

-9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩518.2K

$370 ₩493.5K

5.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,163 ₩1.6M

17.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$744 ₩992.9K

60.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$7,980 ₩10.7M

34.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$6,343 ₩8.5M

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,834 ₩3.8M

-33.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$370 27.6%

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$308 23%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$277 20.6%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$134 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$96 7.1%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$79 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Gwangju

$78 5.8%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Jeju and $508 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52 in Jeju vs $34 in Gwangju. Groceries flip the comparison at $142 vs $308, with Jeju cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Gwangju

🕒 Local time

08:42 8:42 AM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

1,467,996

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Jeju Gwangju 190 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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju is about 17% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Jeju. 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: $461 in Jeju versus $508 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Gwangju. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $34 versus $52 in Jeju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Jeju gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Safety-wise, Jeju and Gwangju are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Jeju wins on affordability, Gwangju on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.