Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeonju and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeonju: $1,149 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jeonju, South Korea
Lisbon, Portugal
Jeonju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,149
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeonju and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jeonju and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,149 in Jeonju versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Jeonju $1,149
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,796 in Jeonju versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Jeonju $1,796
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,443 in Jeonju versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Jeonju $2,443
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Jeonju costs roughly 48% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeonju is 16% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.48 ₩9,930
$16.65 €14.96
-55.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.90 ₩30.4K
$61.7 €55.5
-62.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.43 ₩7,201
$11.36 €10.20
-52.20%
Cappuccino
$3.81 ₩5,052
$2.97 €2.67
28.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 ₩1,485
$2.29 €2.06
-51.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₩814
$1.74 €1.56
-64.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.85 ₩3,781
$3.40 €3.06
-16.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 ₩5,524
$3.31 €2.97
25.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ₩2,851
$1.16 €1.04
85.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 ₩3,058
$1.91 €1.72
20.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.12 ₩4,136
$1.51 €1.36
106.62%
Eggs
$2.30 ₩3,054
$4.02 €3.61
-42.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.99 ₩14.6K
$12.94 €11.62
-15.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.53 ₩14.0K
$7.77 €6.99
35.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.57 ₩33.9K
$17.76 €15.96
43.98%
Apples (1kg)
$11.45 ₩15.2K
$2.30 €2.07
397.83%
Banana (1kg)
$3.33 ₩4,419
$1.73 €1.56
92.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.37 ₩11.1K
$1.86 €1.67
350.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 ₩6,123
$2.59 €2.33
77.99%
Potato (1kg)
$6.20 ₩8,220
$1.82 €1.64
240.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 ₩3,039
$1.97 €1.77
16.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.91 ₩3,861
$1.47 €1.32
97.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₩1,019
$0.72 €0.65
6.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.47 ₩4,607
$6.58 €5.92
-47.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.83 ₩25.0K
$5.61 €5.04
235.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 ₩1,974
$1.36 €1.22
9.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 ₩4,654
$2.14 €1.92
64.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₩1,615
$2.33 €2.10
-47.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.14
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.32 ₩4,407
$3.85 €3.46
-13.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 ₩1,010
$1.07 €0.96
-28.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.74 ₩22.2K
$16.46 €14.79
1.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 ₩1,612
$2.20 €1.98
-45.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K ₩51.9M
$34.2K €30.7K
14.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₩46.0M
$38.7K €34.8K
-10.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.0 ₩95.5K
$161 €145
-55.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.65 ₩40.7K
$18.41 €16.54
66.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.49 ₩36.5K
$32.74 €29.41
-16.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$44.55 €40.03
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.16
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.98 ₩15.9K
$9.60 €8.62
24.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$638 ₩846.6K
$668 €600
-4.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K ₩29.2M
$17.6K €15.8K
24.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 ₩138.7K
$102 €91.7
2.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.9 ₩86.1K
$44.46 €39.95
46.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.53 ₩59.1K
$98.5 €88.5
-54.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.95 ₩50.4K
$124 €111
-69.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$266 ₩352.3K
$1,608 €1,445
-83.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$259 ₩344.3K
$1,190 €1,069
-78.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,812 €2,527
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ₩609.8K
$2,013 €1,809
-77.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,839 €7,043
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,111
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeonju
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,295 ₩3.0M
$1,575 €1,415
45.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
3.85
9.61%

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

Last update for Jeonju: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jeonju
$458
Lisbon
$272 40.6% $186
Accommodation & Living
Jeonju
$259
Lisbon
$1.2K 359% $931
Eating Out
Jeonju
$151
Lisbon
$243 60.3% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeonju
$130
Lisbon
$212 63.2% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Jeonju
$113
Lisbon
$166 46.3% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Jeonju
$24 *
Lisbon
$64 166% $40
Getting Around
Jeonju
$12 *
Lisbon
$63 427% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Jeonju and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeonju pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23 in Jeonju vs $62 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $458 vs $272, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Jeonju
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:40 12:40 PM
03:40 3:40 AM
9 h behind Jeonju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
653,387
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,327 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD). 1 EUR = 1,479 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jeonju Lisbon 10,590 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jeonju
  • Lisbon

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
Jeonju vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeonju cheaper than Lisbon?
Jeonju is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Jeonju or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 46% higher in Jeonju, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Jeonju and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Jeonju versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $638 in Jeonju versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Jeonju or in Lisbon?
Dining out is cheaper in Jeonju – a meal for two runs $23 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Jeonju or in Lisbon?
At $1,149 in Jeonju versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeonju but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Jeonju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Jeonju or in Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Jeonju or Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Jeonju and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Jeonju vs other spots: cost of living compared

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