Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Incheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Incheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Jeju vs $1,368 in Incheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Jeju vs $2,148 in Incheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,316 per month in Jeju vs $2,928 in Incheon, rent included.

Jeju is about 2% cheaper than Incheon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Jeju sits 1% below the global median, while Incheon is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₩9,822

$6.80 ₩10.3K

-4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₩78.5K

$36.54 ₩55.5K

41.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₩6,248

$6.47 ₩9,824

-36.48%

Cappuccino

$5.40 ₩8,203

$3.54 ₩5,369

52.54%

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

$2.39 ₩3,632

$1.39 ₩2,114

71.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,129

$0.70 ₩1,070

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ₩6,001

$3.16 ₩4,797

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 ₩8,819

$4.43 ₩6,722

31.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₩3,328

$2.14 ₩3,247

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₩3,390

$3.12 ₩4,735

-28.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₩3,369

$2.67 ₩4,051

-16.85%

Eggs

$2.57 ₩3,905

$3.08 ₩4,674

-16.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.1K

$14.08 ₩21.4K

-24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.4K

$6.91 ₩10.5K

17.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 ₩41.1K

$13.60 ₩20.7K

99.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.6K

$7.30 ₩11.1K

4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,894

$2.89 ₩4,386

11.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,333

$5.45 ₩8,274

0.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,782

$6.71 ₩10.2K

-23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,560

$3.49 ₩5,295

-14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 ₩2,760

$1.97 ₩2,995

-7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩3,311

$1.94 ₩2,954

12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₩637

$1.31 ₩1,996

-67.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,909

$3.22 ₩4,884

0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.21 ₩24.6K

$16.15 ₩24.5K

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₩2,747

$2.07 ₩3,149

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,451

$1.80 ₩2,734

-10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ₩1,275

$1.04 ₩1,579

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 ₩38.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ₩3,865

$3.44 ₩5,225

-25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩865

$0.53 ₩801

7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ₩13.7K

$8.71 ₩13.2K

3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,915

$1.19 ₩1,802

5.88%

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

$28.1K ₩42.6M

$28.2K ₩42.8M

-0.39%

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

$25.3K ₩38.5M

$13.9K ₩21.0M

82.74%

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

$163 ₩247.2K

$165 ₩250.7K

-1.39%

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

$34.40 ₩52.2K

$34.69 ₩52.7K

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.43 ₩29.5K

$20.93 ₩31.8K

-7.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 ₩56.9K

$32.83 ₩49.9K

14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.46 ₩56.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩16.8K

$10.94 ₩16.6K

0.91%

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

$360 ₩546.0K

$264 ₩401.1K

36.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K ₩38.1M

$11.1K ₩16.8M

126.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₩76.8K

$59.0 ₩89.6K

-14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ₩45.4K

$47.87 ₩72.7K

-37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 ₩97.9K

$66.0 ₩100.1K

-2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 ₩135.0K

$102 ₩155.2K

-13.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₩749.6K

$694 ₩1.1M

-28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₩593.5K

$382 ₩580.5K

2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₩1.5M

$1,380 ₩2.1M

-26.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ₩1.7M

$785 ₩1.2M

42.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,495 ₩14.4M

$6,120 ₩9.3M

55.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,193 ₩7.9M

$4,859 ₩7.4M

6.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,629 ₩2.5M

$2,171 ₩3.3M

-24.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.1

0.98%

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

Last update for Jeju: June 7, 2026

Last update for Incheon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Jeju versus $694 in Incheon. 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 33% higher in Incheon, 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 $52.0 in Jeju versus $37.00 in Incheon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $386 – making Incheon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Incheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Incheon is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,002 per month in Jeju and $2,052 in Incheon. 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 $52.0 in Jeju and $37.00 in Incheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Incheon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Incheon at $1,368. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Incheon 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, Incheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.