Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Pohang

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,365 in Pohang, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. The total is higher in Pohang despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Pohang
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Pohang Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Pohang

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Pohang

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,365 in Pohang, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Pohang $1,365

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,214 in Pohang, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Pohang $2,214

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $3,063 in Pohang, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Pohang $3,063

Jeju is about 18% cheaper than Pohang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,772

$6.08 ₩8,111

20.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.2K

$22.35 ₩29.8K

132.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,486

$6.45 ₩8,605

-13.02%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,825

$3.09 ₩4,115

89.97%

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

$2.19 ₩2,920

$1.47 ₩1,967

48.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,750

$0.50 ₩666

312.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,239

$3.67 ₩4,897

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,097

$3.82 ₩5,091

-19.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,014

$2.30 ₩3,061

-1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,076

$3.17 ₩4,230

-27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,081

$1.53 ₩2,041

50.98%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,494

$2.76 ₩3,675

-5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 ₩14.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₩14.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.68 ₩32.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,940

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,936

$3.60 ₩4,802

-38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.98 ₩10.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,142

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,956

$5.13 ₩6,834

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,493

$3.43 ₩4,572

-45.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,034

$2.22 ₩2,961

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩624

$1.33 ₩1,775

-64.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 ₩4,574

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.3K

$6.90 ₩9,207

66.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,462

$1.52 ₩2,032

21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,292

$3.44 ₩4,592

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,319

$1.18 ₩1,579

-16.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 ₩4,560

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩838

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.86 ₩22.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,833

$1.30 ₩1,732

5.38%

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

$29.5K ₩39.3M

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

$29.4K ₩39.3M

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

$214 ₩285.4K

$101 ₩134.9K

111.50%

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

$54.0 ₩72.0K

$37.06 ₩49.4K

45.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.2K

$27.13 ₩36.2K

-27.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 ₩39.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ₩18.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.14 ₩14.9K

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

$635 ₩847.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.7M

$22.0K ₩29.3M

15.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.2K

$104 ₩139.2K

-49.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.7K

$66.8 ₩89.1K

-55.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩88.8K

$92.8 ₩123.8K

-28.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.0K

$113 ₩150.2K

-19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩614.5K

$484 ₩646.0K

-4.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩517.6K

$440 ₩586.5K

-11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,256 ₩1.7M

9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$1,032 ₩1.4M

15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$8,173 ₩10.9M

31.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$5,538 ₩7.4M

20.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,203 ₩2.9M

-14.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Pohang: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Pohang

$440 32.2%

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Pohang

$388 28.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Pohang

$170 12.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Pohang

$165 12.1%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Pohang

$139 10.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Pohang

$52 3.8%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Pohang

$11 * 0.8%

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 $484 in Pohang. 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 17% higher in Pohang, 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 $22 in Pohang. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $388 in Pohang – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Pohang

🕒 Local time

13:04 1:04 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

514,869

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jeju Pohang 380 km

From you

Jeju
Pohang

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 Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pohang is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,047 in Pohang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Jeju and $484 in Pohang. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 174% more in Pohang, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $22 in Pohang. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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, Pohang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.