Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Icheon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,599 in Icheon, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Icheon
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Icheon Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Icheon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Icheon

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,599 in Icheon, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Icheon $1,599

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,052 in Icheon, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Icheon $2,052

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $2,506 in Icheon, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Icheon $2,506

Jeju is about 30% cheaper than Icheon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Icheon is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,822

$6.24 ₩8,370

17.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.5K

$49.61 ₩66.5K

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,525

$6.65 ₩8,909

-15.64%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,865

$3.67 ₩4,913

59.95%

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

$2.19 ₩2,935

$1.33 ₩1,785

64.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,764

$1.18 ₩1,578

74.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,266

$3.86 ₩5,171

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,118

$4.24 ₩5,677

-27.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,029

$2.29 ₩3,074

-1.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,091

$3.19 ₩4,276

-27.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,097

$3.12 ₩4,178

-25.96%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,512

$2.65 ₩3,557

-1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 ₩15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₩14.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.00 ₩33.5K

Apples (1kg)

$11.46 ₩15.4K

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,951

$3.59 ₩4,818

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.97 ₩10.7K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.08 ₩8,153

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,976

$5.89 ₩7,896

-49.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,505

$3.31 ₩4,430

-43.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,050

$2.84 ₩3,808

-19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩627

$1.34 ₩1,801

-64.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₩4,587

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.4K

$18.77 ₩25.2K

-38.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,475

$2.43 ₩3,255

-23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,304

$3.45 ₩4,623

-50.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,326

$1.10 ₩1,480

-10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,717

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₩988

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 ₩23.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,842

$1.42 ₩1,905

-3.52%

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

$40.4K ₩54.1M

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

$33.6K ₩45.1M

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

$214 ₩286.8K

$205 ₩275.4K

4.15%

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

$54.0 ₩72.3K

$36.50 ₩48.9K

47.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.3K

$27.50 ₩36.9K

-28.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.67 ₩30.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 ₩15.4K

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

$631 ₩845.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.9M

$22.3K ₩29.9M

13.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.6K

$107 ₩142.8K

-50.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.9K

$64.9 ₩86.9K

-54.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩89.2K

$94.2 ₩126.2K

-29.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.6K

$127 ₩170.0K

-28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩617.7K

$763 ₩1.0M

-39.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩520.3K

$454 ₩608.4K

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,314 ₩3.1M

-18.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Icheon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Icheon

$490 30.6%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Icheon

$454 28.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Icheon

$269 16.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Icheon

$177 11%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Icheon

$152 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Icheon

$46 2.9%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Icheon

$12 * 0.7%

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 $763 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 23% 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 $52 in Jeju versus $50 in Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $490 in Icheon – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Icheon

🕒 Local time

16:31 4:31 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

213,059

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $2,398 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $763 in Icheon.

Groceries cost about 246% more in Icheon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $50 in Icheon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Icheon at $1,599. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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