Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Seoul

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,848 in Seoul, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Seoul $1,848

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,986 in Seoul, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Seoul $2,986

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $4,125 in Seoul, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Seoul $4,125

Jeju is about 39% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Seoul is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,840

$9.05 ₩12.1K

-19.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.6K

$68.3 ₩91.8K

-24.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,538

$7.35 ₩9,868

-23.67%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,879

$4.12 ₩5,530

42.48%

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

$2.19 ₩2,941

$1.64 ₩2,207

33.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,769

$0.81 ₩1,083

154.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,276

$3.71 ₩4,980

5.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,125

$6.13 ₩8,236

-49.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,035

$2.04 ₩2,742

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,097

$3.21 ₩4,311

-28.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,103

$4.39 ₩5,892

-47.38%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,518

$3.59 ₩4,822

-27.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩14.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩36.1K

Apples (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.5K

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,957

$3.53 ₩4,739

-37.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 ₩7,660

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,296

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,983

$3.76 ₩5,053

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,510

$2.51 ₩3,373

-25.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,055

$2.82 ₩3,780

-19.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩628

$1.11 ₩1,490

-57.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,432

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.4K

$18.64 ₩25.0K

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,479

$2.42 ₩3,248

-23.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,308

$3.36 ₩4,509

-48.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,328

$1.19 ₩1,600

-16.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩4,770

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩810

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,846

$1.44 ₩1,931

-4.86%

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

$30.3K ₩40.6M

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

$28.9K ₩38.8M

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

$214 ₩287.4K

$213 ₩285.4K

0.69%

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

$54.0 ₩72.5K

$35.83 ₩48.1K

50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.4K

$21.39 ₩28.7K

-8.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩82.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩22.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ₩15.3K

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩34.0M

$22.8K ₩30.6M

11.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.7K

$59.8 ₩80.3K

-11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩40.0K

$34.19 ₩45.9K

-12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩89.4K

$66.0 ₩88.6K

0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.9K

$81.9 ₩110.0K

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩618.8K

$924 ₩1.2M

-50.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩521.2K

$659 ₩885.1K

-41.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$3,012 ₩4.0M

-54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$1,440 ₩1.9M

-17.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.5M

$27.2K ₩36.5M

-60.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$11.3K ₩15.2M

-41.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$3,570 ₩4.8M

-47.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Seoul

$184 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $924 in Seoul. 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 90% higher in Seoul. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $68 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $142 vs $483 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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From you

Jeju
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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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 65%, 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 $2,771 in Seoul. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $924 in Seoul.

Groceries cost about 241% more in Seoul, 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 in Jeju and $68 in Seoul. 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 $1,118, than in Seoul at $1,848. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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