Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Suwon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,372 in Suwon, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. The total is higher in Suwon despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Suwon
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Suwon Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Suwon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Suwon

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,372 in Suwon, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Suwon $1,372

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,163 in Suwon, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Suwon $2,163

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $2,954 in Suwon, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Suwon $2,954

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,803

$6.06 ₩8,102

20.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.4K

$29.93 ₩40.0K

73.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,510

$7.65 ₩10.2K

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,850

$3.41 ₩4,563

72.14%

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

$2.19 ₩2,930

$1.57 ₩2,096

39.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,759

$0.59 ₩789

249.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,256

$3.83 ₩5,126

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,110

$4.77 ₩6,377

-35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,023

$2.60 ₩3,485

-13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,085

$2.60 ₩3,475

-11.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,091

$3.36 ₩4,501

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,505

$3.17 ₩4,241

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 ₩14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 ₩15.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 ₩15.2K

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 ₩8,322

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,946

$2.93 ₩3,917

-24.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 ₩7,087

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 ₩5,893

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,968

$3.47 ₩4,637

-14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,501

$2.74 ₩3,662

-31.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,044

$4.94 ₩6,606

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩626

$1.36 ₩1,818

-65.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 ₩4,990

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.4K

$13.45 ₩18.0K

-14.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,470

$2.53 ₩3,387

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,299

$3.86 ₩5,159

-55.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,323

$1.24 ₩1,655

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.67 ₩65.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ₩3,854

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 ₩12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,839

$1.32 ₩1,767

3.79%

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

$28.7K ₩38.4M

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

$25.2K ₩33.7M

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

$214 ₩286.3K

$186 ₩248.4K

15.25%

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

$54.0 ₩72.2K

$18.20 ₩24.4K

196.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.3K

$17.99 ₩24.1K

9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.73 ₩58.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ₩15.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩15.0K

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

$691 ₩924.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.8M

$18.3K ₩24.4M

38.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.5K

$37.03 ₩49.5K

42.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.8K

$109 ₩146.2K

-72.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩89.1K

$76.5 ₩102.3K

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.4K

$60.0 ₩80.3K

51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩616.5K

$438 ₩586.2K

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩519.3K

$352 ₩470.9K

10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,185 ₩1.6M

15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$819 ₩1.1M

45.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$12.6K ₩16.8M

-14.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$7,074 ₩9.5M

-5.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,638 ₩3.5M

-28.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Suwon: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Suwon

$395 28.8%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Suwon

$352 25.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Suwon

$222 16.2%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Suwon

$150 10.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Suwon

$127 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Suwon

$66 4.8%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Suwon

$60 4.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $438 in Suwon. 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 40% higher in Suwon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $30 in Suwon. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $395 in Suwon – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Suwon

🕒 Local time

23:10 11:10 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

1,203,000

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.48 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.48 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jeju Suwon 420 km

From you

Jeju
Suwon

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 Suwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Suwon is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,057 in Suwon. 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 $438 in Suwon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 179% more in Suwon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $30 in Suwon. 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, Suwon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.