Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Songdo-dong

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,449 in Songdo-dong, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Jeju, South Korea
Songdo-dong, South Korea
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,118
/mo nomad
Songdo-dong
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,449
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Songdo-dong

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 Songdo-dong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,449 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,118
  • Songdo-dong $1,449

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,306 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

  • Jeju $1,917
  • Songdo-dong $2,306

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $3,163 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

  • Jeju $2,715
  • Songdo-dong $3,163

Jeju is about 23% cheaper than Songdo-dong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Songdo-dong is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.33 ₩9,840
$5.94 ₩7,971
23.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9 ₩69.6K
$35.30 ₩47.4K
46.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ₩7,538
$6.86 ₩9,212
-18.22%
Cappuccino
$5.87 ₩7,879
$3.73 ₩5,009
57.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ₩2,941
$1.61 ₩2,157
36.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ₩2,769
$0.60 ₩801
243.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ₩5,276
$3.01 ₩4,035
30.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₩4,125
$4.52 ₩6,066
-32.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ₩3,035
$2.19 ₩2,946
3.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 ₩3,097
$3.06 ₩4,108
-24.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₩3,103
$2.28 ₩3,060
1.32%
Eggs
$2.62 ₩3,518
$3.26 ₩4,384
-19.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.03 ₩21.5K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$7.80 ₩10.5K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.39 ₩15.3K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$7.58 ₩10.2K
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ₩2,957
$3.21 ₩4,308
-31.46%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$7.53 ₩10.1K
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$7.13 ₩9,576
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.97 ₩3,983
$3.48 ₩4,666
-14.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 ₩2,510
$2.47 ₩3,322
-24.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 ₩3,055
$2.10 ₩2,824
8.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₩628
$1.48 ₩1,989
-68.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.34 ₩4,491
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.48 ₩15.4K
$18.77 ₩25.2K
-38.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₩2,479
$2.28 ₩3,063
-18.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₩2,308
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ₩1,328
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.75 ₩5,037
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.61 ₩824
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ₩1,846
$1.43 ₩1,918
-4.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$29.3K ₩39.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$35.9K ₩48.2M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ₩287.4K
$215 ₩288.5K
-0.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.0 ₩72.5K
$44.58 ₩59.9K
21.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.65 ₩26.4K
$20.85 ₩28.0K
-5.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.50 ₩15.4K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$375 ₩503.5K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.3K ₩34.0M
$18.1K ₩24.3M
39.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₩70.7K
$65.5 ₩87.9K
-19.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.78 ₩40.0K
$63.7 ₩85.6K
-53.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.6 ₩89.4K
$74.8 ₩100.4K
-10.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 ₩121.9K
$101 ₩135.1K
-9.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$461 ₩618.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$388 ₩521.2K
$447 ₩599.6K
-13.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 ₩1.8M
$1,936 ₩2.6M
-29.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 ₩1.6M
$1,067 ₩1.4M
11.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K ₩14.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,659 ₩8.9M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeju
Songdo-dong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,883 ₩2.5M
$3,493 ₩4.7M
-46.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.1
-

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$447
Groceries & Markets
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$409 *
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$280
Eating Out
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$146
Clothing & Footwear
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$137
Sport & Entertainment
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$23 *
Getting Around
Jeju
–
Songdo-dong
$6.8 *

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 85% higher in Songdo-dong. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $35 in Songdo-dong. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $409 in Songdo-dong – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Jeju
🇰🇷 Songdo-dong
🕒 Local time
06:20 6:20 AM
06:20 6:20 AM
Same time as Jeju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jeju Songdo-dong 430 km
From you
  • Jeju
  • Songdo-dong

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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeju cheaper than Songdo-dong?
Yes – Songdo-dong is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $2,173 in Songdo-dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Jeju and in Songdo-dong?
Groceries cost about 189% more in Songdo-dong, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Jeju or in Songdo-dong?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $35 in Songdo-dong. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is safer, Jeju or Songdo-dong?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Songdo-dong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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