Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gyeonggi Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gyeonggi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,389 in Gyeonggi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Jeju versus $2,726 in Gyeonggi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,316 in Jeju versus $4,063 in Gyeonggi.

Living in Jeju costs roughly 4% less than in Gyeonggi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeju is 1% below, Gyeonggi is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₩9,822

$7.42 ₩11.3K

-12.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₩78.5K

$84.0 ₩127.6K

-38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₩6,248

$6.75 ₩10.3K

-39.11%

Cappuccino

$5.40 ₩8,203

$3.46 ₩5,256

56.07%

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

$2.39 ₩3,632

$1.38 ₩2,090

73.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,129

$0.74 ₩1,125

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ₩6,001

$4.54 ₩6,891

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 ₩8,819

$2.95 ₩4,484

96.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₩3,328

$2.16 ₩3,283

1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₩3,390

$3.11 ₩4,725

-28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₩3,369

$2.99 ₩4,537

-25.75%

Eggs

$2.57 ₩3,905

$2.98 ₩4,521

-13.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.1K

$10.37 ₩15.7K

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.4K

$8.01 ₩12.2K

1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 ₩41.1K

$27.30 ₩41.5K

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.6K

$10.91 ₩16.6K

-29.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,894

$3.74 ₩5,673

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,333

$7.17 ₩10.9K

-23.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,782

$5.27 ₩8,006

-2.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,560

$3.85 ₩5,841

-22.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 ₩2,760

$2.89 ₩4,394

-37.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩3,311

$2.22 ₩3,366

-1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₩637

$1.17 ₩1,775

-64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,909

$3.33 ₩5,061

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.21 ₩24.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₩2,747

$1.89 ₩2,869

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,451

$3.37 ₩5,117

-52.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ₩1,275

$1.12 ₩1,696

-25.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ₩3,865

$3.18 ₩4,826

-19.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩865

$0.53 ₩808

7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ₩13.7K

$8.63 ₩13.1K

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,915

$1.40 ₩2,122

-10.00%

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

$28.1K ₩42.6M

$27.4K ₩41.6M

2.42%

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

$25.3K ₩38.5M

$25.0K ₩38.0M

1.23%

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

$163 ₩247.2K

$185 ₩280.8K

-11.97%

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

$34.40 ₩52.2K

$40.43 ₩61.4K

-14.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.43 ₩29.5K

$21.37 ₩32.5K

-9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 ₩56.9K

$55.1 ₩83.7K

-32.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩16.8K

$9.68 ₩14.7K

14.05%

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

$360 ₩546.0K

$419 ₩636.2K

-14.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K ₩38.1M

$23.9K ₩36.3M

4.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₩76.8K

$57.9 ₩87.9K

-12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ₩45.4K

$41.62 ₩63.2K

-28.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 ₩97.9K

$83.0 ₩126.0K

-22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 ₩135.0K

$116 ₩175.5K

-23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₩749.6K

$508 ₩772.0K

-2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₩593.5K

$374 ₩567.6K

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₩1.5M

$2,096 ₩3.2M

-51.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ₩1.7M

$1,481 ₩2.2M

-24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,495 ₩14.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,193 ₩7.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,629 ₩2.5M

$2,048 ₩3.1M

-20.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.5

18.29%

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

Last update for Jeju: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gyeonggi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Jeju and $508 in Gyeonggi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gyeonggi pays 26% 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: $52.0 in Jeju vs $84.0 in Gyeonggi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $418 per month, with Jeju cheaper across the board.

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 Gyeonggi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gyeonggi earns 26% 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: $494 in Jeju versus $508 in Gyeonggi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $360 in Jeju versus $419 in Gyeonggi. 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 $52.0 versus $84.0 in Gyeonggi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,334 in Jeju versus $1,389 in Gyeonggi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Gyeonggi. 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 Gyeonggi 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 4% less than in Gyeonggi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.