Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Seongnam Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Seongnam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,358 per month in Jeju vs $1,640 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Jeju vs $2,448 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,271 per month in Jeju vs $3,256 in Seongnam, rent included.

Jeju is about 17% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jeju and Seongnam sit above the global median – Jeju by 1%, Seongnam by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 ₩9,611

$6.04 ₩8,895

7.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩75.4K

$42.21 ₩62.2K

21.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₩6,093

$4.44 ₩6,546

-6.76%

Cappuccino

$5.39 ₩7,947

$3.76 ₩5,542

43.35%

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

$2.43 ₩3,577

$1.55 ₩2,278

56.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,055

$0.79 ₩1,169

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 ₩5,806

$2.50 ₩3,687

57.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 ₩8,581

$3.72 ₩5,488

56.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,269

$2.14 ₩3,146

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₩3,289

$2.12 ₩3,124

5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₩3,162

$3.22 ₩4,749

-33.23%

Eggs

$2.65 ₩3,906

$3.07 ₩4,526

-13.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ₩15.1K

$8.96 ₩13.2K

14.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 ₩12.0K

$7.78 ₩11.5K

4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 ₩39.9K

$33.70 ₩49.7K

-19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$8.04 ₩11.9K

$7.92 ₩11.7K

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,822

$3.47 ₩5,106

-5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,296

$5.67 ₩8,360

-0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩7,955

$6.40 ₩9,427

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,403

$3.52 ₩5,190

-15.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ₩2,731

$2.88 ₩4,250

-35.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 ₩3,189

$2.55 ₩3,761

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩678

$0.94 ₩1,382

-51.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩5,021

$3.38 ₩4,976

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 ₩22.8K

$16.64 ₩24.5K

-6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,753

$1.79 ₩2,644

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,463

$1.88 ₩2,766

-11.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₩1,320

$1.04 ₩1,539

-13.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ₩3,752

$3.50 ₩5,164

-27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩850

$0.57 ₩846

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 ₩12.8K

$8.72 ₩12.9K

-0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,812

$1.24 ₩1,825

-0.81%

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

$28.0K ₩41.2M

$27.8K ₩41.0M

0.54%

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

$25.2K ₩37.2M

$25.1K ₩37.0M

0.61%

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

$162 ₩238.7K

$163 ₩239.4K

-0.32%

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

$34.77 ₩51.2K

$34.58 ₩50.9K

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.51 ₩28.7K

$22.44 ₩33.1K

-13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 ₩53.5K

$48.10 ₩70.9K

-24.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 ₩16.1K

$10.95 ₩16.1K

-0.09%

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

$360 ₩530.9K

$411 ₩605.7K

-12.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K ₩36.7M

$23.6K ₩34.8M

5.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩75.6K

$59.5 ₩87.7K

-13.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ₩43.2K

$47.41 ₩69.8K

-38.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 ₩94.4K

$79.3 ₩116.8K

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ₩129.7K

$117 ₩171.9K

-24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₩723.3K

$449 ₩662.1K

9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₩588.9K

$654 ₩963.9K

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$1,075 ₩1.6M

-6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ₩1.6M

$1,047 ₩1.5M

6.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,859 ₩14.5M

$12.2K ₩18.0M

-19.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,670 ₩8.4M

$5,803 ₩8.5M

-2.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₩2.5M

$3,453 ₩5.1M

-50.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Jeju: April 26, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Jeju versus $449 in Seongnam. 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 101% higher in Seongnam, 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 $51.0 in Jeju versus $42.00 in Seongnam. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Jeju vs $433 in Seongnam – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,036 per month in Jeju and $2,460 in Seongnam. 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 $51.0 in Jeju and $42.00 in Seongnam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Seongnam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Seongnam at $1,640. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam 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, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.