Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Gyeongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,227 in Gyeongju, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Gyeongju despite lower rent and utilities.

Jeju, South Korea
Gyeongju, South Korea
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,118
/mo nomad
Gyeongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,227
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Gyeongju

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,227 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,118
  • Gyeongju $1,227

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,008 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,917
  • Gyeongju $2,008

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $2,788 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Jeju $2,715
  • Gyeongju $2,788

Jeju is about 9% cheaper than Gyeongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jeju and Gyeongju are more affordable than the global median – Jeju 18% lower, Gyeongju 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.33 ₩9,822
$7.65 ₩10.2K
-4.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9 ₩69.5K
$49.45 ₩66.3K
4.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ₩7,525
$6.60 ₩8,848
-15.00%
Cappuccino
$5.87 ₩7,865
$3.05 ₩4,092
92.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ₩2,935
$1.10 ₩1,477
99.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ₩2,764
$0.36 ₩485
472.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ₩5,266
$2.68 ₩3,592
46.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₩4,118
$4.23 ₩5,663
-27.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ₩3,029
$2.25 ₩3,018
0.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 ₩3,091
$2.53 ₩3,392
-8.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₩3,097
$3.07 ₩4,114
-24.76%
Eggs
$2.62 ₩3,512
$2.65 ₩3,554
-1.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$11.17 ₩15.0K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.46 ₩14.0K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.08 ₩25.6K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$4.61 ₩6,185
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ₩2,951
$2.69 ₩3,604
-18.22%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$3.86 ₩5,168
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$3.68 ₩4,933
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.97 ₩3,976
$2.61 ₩3,504
13.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 ₩2,505
$2.28 ₩3,057
-17.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 ₩3,050
$2.24 ₩3,002
1.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₩627
$1.29 ₩1,726
-63.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.32 ₩4,444
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.48 ₩15.4K
$15.13 ₩20.3K
-24.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₩2,475
$1.16 ₩1,549
59.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₩2,304
$2.29 ₩3,068
-24.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ₩1,326
$1.02 ₩1,373
-2.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.98 ₩3,994
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.78 ₩1,042
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.95 ₩22.7K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ₩1,842
$1.07 ₩1,435
28.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$40.1K ₩53.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.3K ₩44.7M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ₩286.8K
$81.2 ₩108.8K
163.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.0 ₩72.3K
$35.92 ₩48.1K
50.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.65 ₩26.3K
$27.37 ₩36.7K
-28.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$55.1 ₩73.8K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$13.94 ₩18.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.09 ₩14.9K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$633 ₩848.8K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.3K ₩33.9M
$22.0K ₩29.6M
14.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₩70.6K
$44.48 ₩59.6K
18.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.78 ₩39.9K
$22.62 ₩30.3K
31.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.6 ₩89.2K
$93.1 ₩124.8K
-28.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 ₩121.6K
$130 ₩174.4K
-30.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$461 ₩617.7K
$490 ₩657.0K
-5.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$388 ₩520.3K
$354 ₩475.0K
9.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 ₩1.8M
$1,170 ₩1.6M
17.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 ₩1.6M
$739 ₩991.0K
61.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K ₩14.4M
$7,222 ₩9.7M
49.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,659 ₩8.9M
$5,555 ₩7.4M
19.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeju
Gyeongju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,883 ₩2.5M
$1,898 ₩2.5M
-0.80%
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 27, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$364
Accommodation & Living
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$354
Eating Out
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$144
Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$131
Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$77
Getting Around
Jeju
–
Gyeongju
$11 *

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $490 in Gyeongju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $49 in Gyeongju. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $364 in Gyeongju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Jeju
🇰🇷 Gyeongju
🕒 Local time
16:32 4:32 PM
16:32 4:32 PM
Same time as Jeju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,279
258,156
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
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  • Jeju Gyeongju 360 km
From you
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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 Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeju cheaper than Gyeongju?
Yes – Gyeongju is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $1,841 in Gyeongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Jeju and Gyeongju?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Jeju and $490 in Gyeongju. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do food prices compare in Jeju and in Gyeongju?
Groceries cost about 157% more in Gyeongju, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Jeju or in Gyeongju?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $49 in Gyeongju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Jeju or Gyeongju?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,118 in Jeju and $1,227 in Gyeongju, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is safer, Jeju or Gyeongju?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Jeju vs other spots: cost of living compared

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