Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Ilsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Ilsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,111 in Jeju versus $1,415 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,874 in Jeju versus $2,290 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,637 in Jeju versus $3,165 in Ilsan.

Living in Jeju costs roughly 21% less than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeju is 17% below, Ilsan is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 ₩9,724

$7.61 ₩10.2K

-4.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 ₩69.7K

$67.7 ₩90.6K

-23.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,290

$7.41 ₩9,924

-26.59%

Cappuccino

$6.03 ₩8,079

$3.98 ₩5,339

51.51%

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

$2.22 ₩2,981

$1.54 ₩2,067

44.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,595

$0.79 ₩1,055

145.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩4,796

$3.77 ₩5,051

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₩3,898

$6.09 ₩8,164

-52.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩2,980

$2.00 ₩2,686

11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ₩2,960

$3.03 ₩4,062

-27.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,072

$2.26 ₩3,032

1.33%

Eggs

$2.70 ₩3,612

$3.37 ₩4,516

-19.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 ₩20.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 ₩10.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ₩14.7K

Apples (1kg)

$7.35 ₩9,853

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₩2,859

$3.19 ₩4,280

-33.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 ₩7,701

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 ₩8,211

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₩3,924

$3.54 ₩4,740

-17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,505

$2.40 ₩3,211

-22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,924

$2.00 ₩2,674

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩577

$1.10 ₩1,476

-60.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩4,459

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 ₩15.3K

$18.39 ₩24.6K

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₩2,588

$2.21 ₩2,961

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,299

$3.22 ₩4,308

-46.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₩1,271

$1.10 ₩1,467

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 ₩65.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,765

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩828

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 ₩11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,857

$1.36 ₩1,817

2.21%

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

$29.4K ₩39.5M

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

$27.7K ₩37.0M

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

$210 ₩281.8K

$212 ₩283.9K

-0.76%

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

$54.7 ₩73.3K

$34.43 ₩46.1K

58.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.28 ₩25.8K

$20.76 ₩27.8K

-7.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ₩68.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.65 ₩16.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 ₩15.2K

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

$528 ₩707.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K ₩32.9M

$18.1K ₩24.3M

35.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₩70.0K

$57.9 ₩77.5K

-9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ₩39.6K

$33.00 ₩44.2K

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 ₩88.1K

$71.0 ₩95.1K

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₩120.5K

$81.4 ₩109.0K

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩616.4K

$464 ₩621.5K

-0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩511.2K

$379 ₩507.9K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₩1.8M

$1,276 ₩1.7M

3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 ₩1.5M

$649 ₩869.6K

76.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₩13.9M

$6,948 ₩9.3M

49.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,745 ₩9.0M

$4,723 ₩6.3M

42.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,840 ₩2.5M

$3,482 ₩4.7M

-47.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

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

Last update for Jeju: October 3, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Jeju and $464 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 89% 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 $68.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $393 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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Ilsan. 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: $460 in Jeju versus $464 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 181% higher in Ilsan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeju – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $68.0 in Ilsan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,111 in Jeju versus $1,415 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. 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 Ilsan 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 27% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.