Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Cheongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Cheongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,459 in Kingston versus $1,248 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,444 in Kingston versus $1,883 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Kingston versus $2,518 in Cheongju.

Living in Kingston is roughly 17% more expensive than in Cheongju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 10% above, Cheongju is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 JMD 1,192

$7.15 ₩10.3K

5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,947

$36.15 ₩52.0K

74.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,409

$4.82 ₩6,937

85.68%

Cappuccino

$4.46 JMD 703

$4.21 ₩6,055

5.94%

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

$1.37 JMD 216

$1.88 ₩2,706

-27.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$1.37 ₩1,971

-45.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$3.70 ₩5,321

-34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 495

$6.00 ₩8,635

-47.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.18 JMD 659

$2.00 ₩2,876

109.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 558

$3.57 ₩5,132

-0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$1.83 ₩2,626

-15.85%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 555

$2.26 ₩3,244

55.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 JMD 1,738

$10.44 ₩15.0K

5.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,021

$8.24 ₩11.9K

-21.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 JMD 1,229

$14.81 ₩21.3K

-47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 938

$2.91 ₩4,184

104.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$2.93 ₩4,208

7.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 682

$7.25 ₩10.4K

-40.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 460

$5.29 ₩7,601

-44.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 329

$5.17 ₩7,443

-59.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$2.90 ₩4,176

-30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 468

$2.09 ₩3,008

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$0.42 ₩608

242.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 JMD 1,373

$3.36 ₩4,833

159.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,779

$13.91 ₩20.0K

-18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$1.68 ₩2,418

65.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 496

$2.15 ₩3,090

46.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 JMD 130

$1.21 ₩1,740

-32.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 JMD 7,770

$72.3 ₩104.0K

-31.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$2.72 ₩3,909

-60.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 503

$0.84 ₩1,206

280.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 JMD 1,006

$16.69 ₩24.0K

-61.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.17 ₩1,680

5.13%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$28.0K ₩40.3M

52.30%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

$25.3K ₩36.3M

34.76%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$191 ₩275.0K

-14.38%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,428

$24.27 ₩34.9K

-10.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 JMD 8,143

$14.78 ₩21.3K

249.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

$62.9 ₩90.4K

10.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 JMD 2,509

$33.82 ₩48.6K

-52.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,052

$7.30 ₩10.5K

78.49%

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$498 ₩716.2K

-55.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.6K

$14.3K ₩20.6M

-82.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.87 JMD 4,074

$37.29 ₩53.6K

-30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 JMD 4,001

$48.45 ₩69.7K

-47.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$88.4 ₩127.1K

-20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$111 ₩159.6K

-31.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 JMD 143.2K

$303 ₩436.3K

199.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.9K

$240 ₩345.3K

92.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 JMD 319.4K

$410 ₩590.2K

394.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 JMD 184.9K

$294 ₩423.3K

298.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 JMD 438.5K

$7,198 ₩10.4M

-61.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 JMD 340.8K

$5,148 ₩7.4M

-57.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 JMD 115.4K

$2,433 ₩3.5M

-69.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

4.22

116.82%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $909 in Kingston and $303 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 232% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Kingston vs $36.00 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $352, with Kingston cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kingston vs Cheongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 232% lower in Cheongju. 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: $909 in Kingston versus $303 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,459 per month in Kingston versus $1,248 in Cheongju – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 47% less than in Kingston. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,248 in Cheongju versus $1,459 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

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

Expats usually find Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.