Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,342 per month in Pohang vs $1,335 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Pohang vs $2,303 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,670 per month in Pohang vs $3,270 in Jeju, rent included.

Pohang costs about 1% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pohang and Jeju sit above the global median – Pohang by 0%, Jeju by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 ₩7,535

$6.57 ₩9,780

-22.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩27.2K

$51.8 ₩77.1K

-64.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 ₩9,211

$4.08 ₩6,078

51.72%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩4,273

$5.34 ₩7,946

-46.25%

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

$1.48 ₩2,208

$2.33 ₩3,467

-36.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩714

$0.71 ₩1,055

-32.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,391

$3.99 ₩5,942

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₩5,416

$5.93 ₩8,823

-38.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₩2,679

$2.12 ₩3,147

-15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,700

$2.19 ₩3,254

44.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,881

$2.25 ₩3,350

16.00%

Eggs

$2.99 ₩4,446

$2.56 ₩3,813

16.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 ₩15.4K

$10.31 ₩15.3K

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 ₩9,754

$8.41 ₩12.5K

-22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.64 ₩41.1K

$27.81 ₩41.4K

-0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₩3,255

$8.00 ₩11.9K

-72.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,795

$3.25 ₩4,832

-0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.26 ₩10.8K

$5.60 ₩8,338

29.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,715

$5.39 ₩8,015

-53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$4.79 ₩7,121

$2.88 ₩4,289

66.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,371

$1.86 ₩2,766

58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,042

$2.17 ₩3,222

-5.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,730

$0.42 ₩626

176.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,832

$3.38 ₩5,029

-3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₩8,588

$16.52 ₩24.6K

-65.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,225

$1.80 ₩2,677

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩5,129

$1.60 ₩2,382

115.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,575

$0.91 ₩1,352

16.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₩3,631

$2.50 ₩3,722

-2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,262

$0.53 ₩782

60.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩24.5K

$9.01 ₩13.4K

83.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,791

$1.22 ₩1,818

-1.64%

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

$27.6K ₩41.1M

$27.3K ₩40.7M

1.15%

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

$25.1K ₩37.4M

$24.8K ₩36.9M

1.40%

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

$106 ₩157.2K

$158 ₩235.0K

-33.13%

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

$51.0 ₩75.9K

$35.45 ₩52.8K

43.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 ₩41.6K

$19.12 ₩28.5K

46.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.38 ₩43.7K

$36.71 ₩54.6K

-19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.13 ₩10.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 ₩16.1K

$10.93 ₩16.3K

-0.91%

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

$498 ₩740.3K

$367 ₩545.5K

35.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$24.9K ₩37.0M

-43.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩153.3K

$50.5 ₩75.1K

104.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.32 ₩70.4K

$29.60 ₩44.0K

59.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₩130.8K

$64.6 ₩96.1K

36.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩165.0K

$86.8 ₩129.1K

27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩668.0K

$482 ₩717.0K

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₩652.8K

$400 ₩595.0K

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₩1.6M

$1,009 ₩1.5M

3.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.1M

$1,130 ₩1.7M

-31.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,269 ₩12.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 ₩4.0M

$5,103 ₩7.6M

-47.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,192 ₩3.3M

$1,678 ₩2.5M

30.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

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

Last update for Pohang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Pohang versus $482 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 31% higher in Pohang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Pohang versus $52.0 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $399 – making Pohang 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

Pohang vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pohang is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,014 per month in Pohang and $2,003 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Pohang and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Pohang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,335, than in Pohang at $1,342. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pohang 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, Pohang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.