Cost of Living Comparison Between Messina and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Messina and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,400 per month in Messina vs $1,074 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Messina vs $1,819 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,434 per month in Messina vs $2,563 in Jeju, rent included.

Messina costs about 30% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Messina sits 2% above the global median, while Jeju is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.53 €13.40

$7.52 ₩10.2K

106.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.3

$52.1 ₩70.8K

34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 €11.04

$5.35 ₩7,271

139.07%

Cappuccino

$2.08 €1.80

$5.96 ₩8,103

-65.10%

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

$2.35 €2.03

$2.17 ₩2,947

8.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.89 ₩2,576

-34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 €3.94

$3.39 ₩4,610

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €2.96

$2.85 ₩3,871

20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$2.14 ₩2,908

-38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$2.17 ₩2,944

-11.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.18 ₩2,961

36.24%

Eggs

$3.02 €2.60

$2.60 ₩3,536

16.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 €13.14

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.58

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 €15.20

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 €2.59

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.06 ₩2,799

-13.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €2.97

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 €0.59

$2.99 ₩4,071

-77.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.81 ₩2,465

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.17 ₩2,951

-34.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 €0.38

$0.45 ₩615

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.94

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 €4.90

$10.91 ₩14.8K

-47.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.83 ₩2,482

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.16

$1.62 ₩2,206

54.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.94 ₩1,274

88.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.78 €36.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 €0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.16 €34.65

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.26 ₩1,710

61.11%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

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

$32.5K €28.1K

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

$182 €157

$209 ₩284.0K

-13.07%

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

$10.48 €9.04

$52.5 ₩71.4K

-80.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.42 €22.80

$19.46 ₩26.5K

35.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.55 €41.89

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.11 €14.77

Cinema Ticket

$9.34 €8.06

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

$349 €301

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K ₩33.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 €64.0

$49.90 ₩67.8K

48.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.79 €27.43

$28.86 ₩39.2K

10.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 €77.0

$66.0 ₩89.8K

35.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$88.8 ₩120.7K

47.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 €484

$456 ₩619.3K

23.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 €343

$363 ₩493.4K

9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,072

$1,341 ₩1.8M

-7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 €954

$1,113 ₩1.5M

-0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,145 €1,851

$10.3K ₩14.0M

-79.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 €1,475

$6,615 ₩9.0M

-74.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 €1,511

$1,824 ₩2.5M

-3.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

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

Last update for Messina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Jeju: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Messina versus $456 in Jeju. 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 4% higher in Jeju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Messina versus $52.0 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $135 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Messina vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Messina is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,100 per month in Messina and $1,611 in Jeju. 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.

Groceries cost about 120% more in Messina, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Messina and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Messina at $1,400. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Messina 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, Messina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.