Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeonju and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeonju: $1,149 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Jeonju
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Jeonju Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Jeonju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,149

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeonju and in Seoul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,149 in Jeonju versus $1,848 in Seoul.

Jeonju $1,149
Seoul $1,848

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,796 in Jeonju versus $2,986 in Seoul.

Jeonju $1,796
Seoul $2,986

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,443 in Jeonju versus $4,125 in Seoul.

Jeonju $2,443
Seoul $4,125

Living in Jeonju costs roughly 38% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeonju is 16% below, Seoul is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.48 ₩9,930

$9.05 ₩12.0K

-17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.90 ₩30.4K

$68.3 ₩90.7K

-66.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₩7,201

$7.35 ₩9,751

-26.12%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ₩5,052

$4.12 ₩5,464

-7.52%

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

$1.12 ₩1,485

$1.64 ₩2,181

-31.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₩814

$0.81 ₩1,070

-24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 ₩3,781

$3.71 ₩4,921

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₩5,524

$6.13 ₩8,138

-32.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩2,851

$2.04 ₩2,709

5.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ₩3,058

$3.21 ₩4,260

-28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,136

$4.39 ₩5,822

-28.93%

Eggs

$2.30 ₩3,054

$3.59 ₩4,765

-35.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 ₩14.6K

$18.23 ₩24.2K

-39.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 ₩14.0K

$10.51 ₩13.9K

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.57 ₩33.9K

$26.89 ₩35.7K

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$11.45 ₩15.2K

$7.86 ₩10.4K

45.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,419

$3.53 ₩4,683

-5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.37 ₩11.1K

$5.70 ₩7,569

46.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 ₩6,123

$6.18 ₩8,198

-25.40%

Potato (1kg)

$6.20 ₩8,220

$3.76 ₩4,993

64.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,039

$2.51 ₩3,333

-8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 ₩3,861

$2.82 ₩3,735

3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₩1,019

$1.11 ₩1,472

-30.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 ₩4,607

$3.30 ₩4,379

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 ₩25.0K

$18.64 ₩24.7K

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₩1,974

$2.42 ₩3,209

-38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 ₩4,654

$3.36 ₩4,456

4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₩1,615

$1.19 ₩1,581

2.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 ₩4,407

$3.55 ₩4,713

-6.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,010

$0.60 ₩801

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.74 ₩22.2K

$9.08 ₩12.0K

84.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,612

$1.44 ₩1,908

-15.97%

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

$39.1K ₩51.9M

$30.3K ₩40.2M

29.16%

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

$34.6K ₩46.0M

$28.9K ₩38.3M

19.86%

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

$72.0 ₩95.5K

$213 ₩282.0K

-66.12%

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

$30.65 ₩40.7K

$35.83 ₩47.5K

-14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.49 ₩36.5K

$21.39 ₩28.4K

28.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩81.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 ₩15.9K

$11.42 ₩15.1K

4.90%

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

$638 ₩846.6K

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-67.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.2M

$22.8K ₩30.2M

-3.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩138.7K

$59.8 ₩79.3K

74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩86.1K

$34.19 ₩45.4K

89.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.53 ₩59.1K

$66.0 ₩87.6K

-32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.95 ₩50.4K

$81.9 ₩108.7K

-53.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₩352.3K

$924 ₩1.2M

-71.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ₩344.3K

$659 ₩874.6K

-60.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 ₩4.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩609.8K

$1,440 ₩1.9M

-68.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,295 ₩3.0M

$3,570 ₩4.7M

-35.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.08

3.43%

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

Last update for Jeonju: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jeonju

$458 39.9%

Seoul

$483 26.2% 5.5% $25

Accommodation & Living

Jeonju

$259 22.6%

Seoul

$659 35.7% 154% $400

Eating Out

Jeonju

$151 13.2%

Seoul

$184 10% 21.9% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeonju

$130 11.3%

Seoul

$270 14.6% 107% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Jeonju

$113 9.9%

Seoul

$109 5.9% 4% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Jeonju

$24 * 2.1%

Seoul

$84 4.6% 252% $60

Getting Around

Jeonju

$12 * 1%

Seoul

$57 3.1% 379% $45

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 $924 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23 in Jeonju vs $68 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $483 per month, with Jeonju cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeonju

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

16:42 4:42 PM

Same time as Jeonju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

653,387

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Jeonju Seoul 190 km

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Jeonju
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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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeonju is cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and eating out. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Jeonju. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Jeonju versus $924 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $638 in Jeonju versus $1,948 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeonju – a meal for two runs $23 versus $68 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,149 in Jeonju versus $1,848 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeonju but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Jeonju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jeonju is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jeonju and Seoul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Jeonju wins on affordability, Seoul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.