Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Ulsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Ulsan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,358 per month in Jeju vs $1,427 in Ulsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Jeju vs $2,194 in Ulsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,271 per month in Jeju vs $2,962 in Ulsan, rent included.

Jeju is about 5% cheaper than Ulsan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeju and Ulsan sit above the global median – Jeju by 1%, Ulsan by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 ₩9,676

$6.43 ₩9,533

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 ₩76.0K

$29.85 ₩44.3K

71.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₩6,134

$4.80 ₩7,118

-13.75%

Cappuccino

$5.39 ₩8,001

$3.03 ₩4,489

77.89%

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

$2.43 ₩3,601

$1.08 ₩1,606

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₩1,062

$0.39 ₩578

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 ₩5,846

$2.64 ₩3,917

49.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 ₩8,639

$3.38 ₩5,010

72.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,291

$1.73 ₩2,567

28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₩3,311

$2.16 ₩3,209

3.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₩3,184

$1.82 ₩2,703

18.13%

Eggs

$2.65 ₩3,933

$2.97 ₩4,413

-10.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ₩15.2K

$10.36 ₩15.4K

-0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 ₩12.1K

$8.33 ₩12.4K

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 ₩40.2K

$28.09 ₩41.7K

-3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$8.04 ₩11.9K

$7.15 ₩10.6K

12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,855

$3.23 ₩4,794

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,352

$7.42 ₩11.0K

-24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,009

$4.53 ₩6,717

19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,433

$3.62 ₩5,369

-17.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ₩2,749

$2.40 ₩3,563

-22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 ₩3,211

$2.11 ₩3,131

2.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩683

$0.91 ₩1,352

-49.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩5,055

$3.23 ₩4,793

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 ₩23.0K

$17.20 ₩25.5K

-9.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,772

$1.69 ₩2,512

10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,480

$3.39 ₩5,026

-50.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₩1,329

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ₩3,777

$2.37 ₩3,520

7.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩856

$0.85 ₩1,262

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 ₩12.9K

$16.28 ₩24.1K

-46.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,824

$1.17 ₩1,730

5.13%

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

$28.0K ₩41.5M

$27.6K ₩40.9M

1.43%

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

$25.2K ₩37.4M

0.07%

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

$162 ₩240.3K

$186 ₩275.9K

-12.91%

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

$34.77 ₩51.6K

$51.1 ₩75.8K

-31.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.51 ₩28.9K

$28.07 ₩41.6K

-30.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 ₩53.9K

$57.9 ₩85.9K

-37.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 ₩16.2K

$10.16 ₩15.1K

7.68%

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

$360 ₩534.5K

$256 ₩379.7K

40.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K ₩36.9M

$14.0K ₩20.8M

77.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₩76.2K

$101 ₩150.4K

-49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ₩43.5K

$47.92 ₩71.1K

-38.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 ₩95.1K

$86.9 ₩128.9K

-26.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ₩130.6K

$117 ₩174.1K

-25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₩728.2K

$281 ₩416.1K

75.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₩592.9K

$379 ₩562.5K

5.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$1,083 ₩1.6M

-6.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ₩1.7M

$754 ₩1.1M

48.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,859 ₩14.6M

$4,095 ₩6.1M

140.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,670 ₩8.4M

$2,482 ₩3.7M

128.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₩2.5M

$2,383 ₩3.5M

-28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.50%

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

Last update for Jeju: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Jeju versus $281 in Ulsan. 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 39% higher in Ulsan, 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Jeju vs $407 in Ulsan – 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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,140 in Ulsan. 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Ulsan, 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 Ulsan at $1,427. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsan 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, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.