Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Ulsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,346 in Ulsan, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. The total is higher in Ulsan despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,346

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju and in Ulsan

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

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $1,346 in Ulsan, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Ulsan $1,346

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $2,197 in Ulsan, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Ulsan $2,197

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $3,048 in Ulsan, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Ulsan $3,048

Jeju is about 17% cheaper than Ulsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,772

$7.57 ₩10.1K

-3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.2K

$44.87 ₩59.8K

15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,486

$6.13 ₩8,170

-8.48%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,825

$3.32 ₩4,425

76.81%

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

$2.19 ₩2,920

$0.93 ₩1,238

135.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,750

$0.43 ₩579

379.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,239

$2.94 ₩3,925

33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,097

$4.32 ₩5,760

-28.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,014

$2.26 ₩3,011

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,076

$3.27 ₩4,356

-29.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,081

$3.20 ₩4,265

-27.81%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,494

$2.65 ₩3,536

-1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 ₩15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₩13.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.38 ₩33.8K

Apples (1kg)

$11.41 ₩15.2K

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,936

$3.63 ₩4,836

-39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.32 ₩11.1K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.08 ₩8,107

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,956

$5.98 ₩7,974

-50.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,493

$3.39 ₩4,520

-44.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,034

$2.88 ₩3,837

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩624

$1.28 ₩1,708

-63.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,385

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.3K

$19.01 ₩25.4K

-39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,462

$2.49 ₩3,322

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,292

$3.40 ₩4,534

-49.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,319

$1.16 ₩1,548

-14.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩3,950

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩972

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.05 ₩22.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,833

$1.43 ₩1,910

-4.20%

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

$39.2K ₩52.3M

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

$33.4K ₩44.6M

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

$214 ₩285.4K

$203 ₩270.1K

5.67%

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

$54.0 ₩72.0K

$36.55 ₩48.7K

47.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.2K

$27.69 ₩36.9K

-29.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₩81.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 ₩14.0K

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

$260 ₩346.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.7M

$22.1K ₩29.4M

14.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.2K

$52.5 ₩70.1K

0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.7K

$44.45 ₩59.3K

-33.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩88.8K

$59.8 ₩79.8K

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.0K

$74.7 ₩99.6K

21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩614.5K

$374 ₩499.2K

23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩517.6K

$242 ₩322.9K

60.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$740 ₩986.6K

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$652 ₩869.9K

82.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$4,467 ₩6.0M

140.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$2,431 ₩3.2M

173.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$2,314 ₩3.1M

-18.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$492 36.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$267 19.8%

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$242 18%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$148 11%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$104 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$82 6.1%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Ulsan

$11 * 0.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $374 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 23% higher in Ulsan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $45 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $492 in Ulsan – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🕒 Local time

13:26 1:26 PM

Same time as Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

1,129,827

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jeju Ulsan 340 km

From you

Jeju
Ulsan

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 20%, 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 $2,019 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $374 there versus $461 in Jeju.

Groceries cost about 248% more in Ulsan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju and $45 in Ulsan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,118 in Jeju and $1,346 in Ulsan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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