Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Pohang Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Pohang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Jeju vs $1,333 in Pohang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,290 per month in Jeju vs $2,007 in Pohang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,246 per month in Jeju vs $2,680 in Pohang, rent included.

Jeju and Pohang have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Jeju and Pohang sit above the global median – Jeju by 0%, Pohang by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 ₩10.3K

$5.23 ₩8,018

28.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩78.4K

$18.25 ₩28.0K

180.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₩6,192

$6.14 ₩9,412

-34.20%

Cappuccino

$5.21 ₩7,986

$2.98 ₩4,565

74.83%

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

$2.42 ₩3,701

$1.44 ₩2,208

68.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,099

$0.51 ₩787

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ₩6,101

$3.75 ₩5,741

6.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,755

$3.62 ₩5,546

57.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,284

$1.79 ₩2,747

19.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ₩3,443

$3.17 ₩4,854

-29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₩3,417

$2.53 ₩3,883

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,997

$2.97 ₩4,547

-12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₩16.1K

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩13.0K

$6.44 ₩9,860

31.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.80 ₩42.6K

$27.14 ₩41.6K

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.7K

$2.17 ₩3,331

253.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,787

$3.11 ₩4,771

0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,696

$7.47 ₩11.4K

-23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 ₩8,200

$2.63 ₩4,030

103.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,627

$4.89 ₩7,485

-38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,897

$2.93 ₩4,494

-35.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₩3,329

$2.02 ₩3,093

7.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩702

$1.16 ₩1,785

-60.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,981

$3.33 ₩5,102

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩26.0K

$8.40 ₩12.9K

102.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₩2,914

$1.49 ₩2,280

27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₩2,469

$3.37 ₩5,163

-52.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₩1,319

$1.10 ₩1,691

-21.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$2.47 ₩3,782

2.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩809

$0.86 ₩1,313

-38.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩13.1K

$16.38 ₩25.1K

-47.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,934

$1.22 ₩1,864

3.28%

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

$28.0K ₩42.9M

$28.0K ₩42.8M

0.17%

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

$24.8K ₩38.0M

$24.9K ₩38.2M

-0.52%

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

$159 ₩243.6K

$106 ₩162.2K

50.18%

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

$34.67 ₩53.1K

$50.1 ₩76.8K

-30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₩29.8K

$27.14 ₩41.6K

-28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 ₩55.5K

$29.52 ₩45.2K

22.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 ₩11.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ₩16.7K

$10.98 ₩16.8K

-0.91%

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

$367 ₩562.6K

$491 ₩752.6K

-25.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ₩37.2M

$14.4K ₩22.1M

68.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩78.6K

$104 ₩159.3K

-50.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ₩45.2K

$47.82 ₩73.3K

-38.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 ₩101.6K

$87.1 ₩133.5K

-23.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₩137.0K

$110 ₩168.5K

-18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₩767.7K

$446 ₩682.9K

12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩616.0K

$427 ₩654.6K

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₩1.6M

$1,068 ₩1.6M

-4.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₩1.8M

$780 ₩1.2M

47.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩15.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,331 ₩8.2M

$2,602 ₩4.0M

104.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,672 ₩2.6M

$2,229 ₩3.4M

-24.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pohang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeju versus $446 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 33% higher in Pohang. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Jeju versus $18.00 in Pohang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $363 – making Pohang 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 Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,001 per month in Jeju and $2,000 in Pohang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pohang, 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 $51.0 in Jeju and $18.00 in Pohang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $367 per month in Jeju and $491 in Pohang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pohang, where all-in costs run around $1,333, than in Jeju at $1,334. In Pohang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pohang – 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 Pohang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.