Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,111 a month against $2,852 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
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Jeju Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,111

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,852

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Melbourne

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

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Jeju vs $2,852 in Melbourne, rent included.

Jeju $1,111
Melbourne $2,852

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Jeju vs $4,297 in Melbourne, rent included.

Jeju $1,874
Melbourne $4,297

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Jeju vs $5,742 in Melbourne, rent included.

Jeju $2,637
Melbourne $5,742

Jeju is about 61% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 17% below the global median, while Melbourne is 113% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 ₩9,726

$17.75 A$25.40

-59.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 ₩69.7K

$84.8 A$121

-38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,291

$12.16 A$17.40

-55.26%

Cappuccino

$6.03 ₩8,080

$3.93 A$5.62

53.44%

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

$2.22 ₩2,981

$3.14 A$4.49

-29.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,595

$2.43 A$3.47

-20.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩4,796

$9.90 A$14.17

-63.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₩3,898

$8.29 A$11.86

-64.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩2,980

$1.55 A$2.21

43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ₩2,961

$3.01 A$4.31

-26.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,072

$2.88 A$4.12

-20.49%

Eggs

$2.70 ₩3,613

$5.44 A$7.79

-50.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 A$15.16

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 A$13.76

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 A$21.46

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.94

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₩2,859

$3.05 A$4.37

-30.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.72

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.81

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₩3,925

$3.04 A$4.34

-3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,506

$2.55 A$3.65

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,925

$2.48 A$3.55

-12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩577

$1.63 A$2.33

-73.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.1

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 ₩15.3K

$12.43 A$17.79

-8.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₩2,588

$5.33 A$7.63

-63.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,300

$5.16 A$7.38

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₩1,272

$3.84 A$5.50

-75.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 A$6.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 A$42.69

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,857

$1.46 A$2.09

-4.79%

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

$28.1K A$40.3K

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

$25.9K A$37.1K

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

$210 ₩281.8K

$233 A$333

-9.59%

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

$54.7 ₩73.3K

$27.28 A$39.04

100.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.28 ₩25.8K

$57.0 A$81.6

-66.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$75.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 A$32.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 A$24.48

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

$2,373 A$3,397

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K ₩32.9M

$30.5K A$43.6K

-19.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₩70.0K

$78.2 A$112

-33.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ₩39.6K

$50.5 A$72.2

-41.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 ₩88.1K

$121 A$172

-45.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₩120.5K

$133 A$191

-32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩616.5K

$1,713 A$2,451

-73.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩511.3K

$1,402 A$2,006

-72.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₩1.8M

$3,339 A$4,778

-60.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 ₩1.5M

$2,529 A$3,619

-54.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₩13.9M

$7,018 A$10.0K

48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,745 ₩9.0M

$6,767 A$9,685

-0.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,840 ₩2.5M

$4,228 A$6,051

-56.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Jeju: October 3, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

$382 34.6%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 267% $1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

$284 25.8%

Melbourne

$317 11.1% 11.5% $33

Eating Out

Jeju

$187 17%

Melbourne

$314 11% 67.8% $127

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

$139 * 12.6%

Melbourne

$385 13.5% 176% $246

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

$107 9.7%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 61% $65

Getting Around

Jeju

$3.8 * 0.3%

Melbourne

$168 5.9% 4328% $164

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

- * 0%

Melbourne

$87 3.1%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Jeju versus $1,713 in Melbourne. 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 130% higher in Melbourne, 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 $85.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $385 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

12:55 12:55 PM

2 h ahead of Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

5,031,195

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

1 AUD = 0.699 USD

1 AUD = 0.623 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jeju Melbourne 8,160 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Jeju
Melbourne

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 Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 157%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Jeju and $4,277 in Melbourne. 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.

Groceries cost about 176% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jeju and $85.0 in Melbourne. 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 $1,111, than in Melbourne at $2,852. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne 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, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.