Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Icheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Icheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Jeju vs $1,484 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,290 per month in Jeju vs $2,309 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,246 per month in Jeju vs $3,134 in Icheon, rent included.

Jeju is about 10% cheaper than Icheon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeju and Icheon sit above the global median – Jeju by 0%, Icheon by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 ₩10.3K

$6.14 ₩9,413

9.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩78.4K

$37.09 ₩56.8K

37.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₩6,192

$6.19 ₩9,480

-34.73%

Cappuccino

$5.21 ₩7,986

$4.16 ₩6,376

25.24%

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

$2.42 ₩3,701

$1.26 ₩1,937

92.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,099

$1.19 ₩1,828

-39.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ₩6,101

$3.57 ₩5,465

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,755

$5.92 ₩9,065

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,284

$2.29 ₩3,506

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,443

$3.47 ₩5,323

-35.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₩3,417

$3.10 ₩4,752

-28.06%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,997

$2.92 ₩4,478

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.1K

$10.37 ₩15.9K

1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩13.0K

$8.34 ₩12.8K

1.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.80 ₩42.6K

$28.00 ₩42.9K

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.7K

$8.30 ₩12.7K

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,787

$3.24 ₩4,967

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,696

$7.46 ₩11.4K

-23.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩8,200

$5.37 ₩8,229

-0.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,627

$5.22 ₩8,003

-42.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,897

$2.96 ₩4,542

-36.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,329

$2.09 ₩3,200

3.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩702

$1.15 ₩1,769

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,981

$3.33 ₩5,100

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩26.0K

$16.87 ₩25.8K

0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₩2,914

$1.75 ₩2,678

8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,469

$3.30 ₩5,061

-51.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₩1,319

$1.07 ₩1,635

-19.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$3.58 ₩5,484

-29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩809

$0.79 ₩1,214

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩13.1K

$16.71 ₩25.6K

-48.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,934

$1.22 ₩1,871

3.28%

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

$28.0K ₩42.9M

$27.7K ₩42.4M

1.15%

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

$24.8K ₩38.0M

$24.7K ₩37.9M

0.27%

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

$159 ₩243.6K

$188 ₩288.6K

-15.58%

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

$34.67 ₩53.1K

$49.55 ₩75.9K

-30.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₩29.8K

$27.49 ₩42.1K

-29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 ₩55.5K

$22.22 ₩34.0K

63.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.7K

$11.20 ₩17.2K

-2.86%

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

$367 ₩562.6K

$492 ₩754.2K

-25.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ₩37.2M

$13.9K ₩21.2M

75.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩78.6K

$104 ₩159.5K

-50.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ₩45.2K

$48.20 ₩73.8K

-38.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 ₩101.6K

$86.6 ₩132.7K

-23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₩137.0K

$118 ₩180.7K

-24.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₩767.7K

$739 ₩1.1M

-32.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩616.0K

$377 ₩576.9K

6.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₩1.6M

$1,072 ₩1.6M

-5.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₩1.8M

$776 ₩1.2M

48.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩15.0M

$10.5K ₩16.0M

-6.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.2M

$5,848 ₩9.0M

-8.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,672 ₩2.6M

$2,068 ₩3.2M

-19.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.9

6.15%

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

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Last update for Icheon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeju versus $739 in Icheon. 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 24% higher in Icheon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Jeju versus $37.00 in Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Jeju vs $449 in Icheon – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Icheon is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,001 per month in Jeju and $2,226 in Icheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Jeju and $37.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Icheon at $1,484. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.