Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,362 in Pohang, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. The total is higher in Pohang despite lower rent and utilities.

66

Cost of Living Index in Pohang
Learn more

Pohang Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
Learn more

Jeju Living Index

Jump to prices

Pohang

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,362

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohang and in Jeju

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

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Pohang vs $1,107 in Jeju, rent included.

Pohang $1,362
Jeju $1,107

A couple spends around $1,682 per month in Pohang vs $1,900 in Jeju, rent included.

Pohang $1,682
Jeju $1,900

A family of three spends $2,002 per month in Pohang vs $2,694 in Jeju, rent included.

Pohang $2,002
Jeju $2,694

Pohang costs about 23% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Pohang sits 1% above the global median, while Jeju is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 ₩7,857

$7.40 ₩9,835

-20.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.55 ₩30.0K

$53.2 ₩70.7K

-57.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ₩8,675

$5.44 ₩7,233

19.85%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₩4,012

$5.75 ₩7,640

-47.48%

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

$1.48 ₩1,967

$2.21 ₩2,945

-33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₩710

$1.94 ₩2,575

-72.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,836

$3.44 ₩4,578

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ₩5,062

$3.05 ₩4,050

24.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,142

$2.26 ₩2,998

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,319

$2.30 ₩3,060

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ₩1,940

$2.21 ₩2,941

-33.94%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,634

$2.59 ₩3,444

5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₩13.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.86 ₩33.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,929

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩4,798

$2.16 ₩2,867

67.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 ₩3,879

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 ₩6,653

$3.04 ₩4,047

64.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,532

$1.85 ₩2,454

84.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 ₩3,015

$2.19 ₩2,908

3.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,785

$0.47 ₩620

185.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₩4,407

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ₩8,631

$11.22 ₩14.9K

-42.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₩2,031

$1.87 ₩2,490

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩4,638

$1.65 ₩2,200

111.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ₩4,388

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩766

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 ₩22.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,647

$1.33 ₩1,762

-6.77%

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

$29.5K ₩39.2M

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

$28.4K ₩37.8M

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

$102 ₩136.1K

$216 ₩287.8K

-52.72%

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

$36.26 ₩48.2K

$53.7 ₩71.4K

-32.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 ₩35.7K

$19.50 ₩25.9K

37.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 ₩40.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 ₩9,884

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 ₩15.1K

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

$637 ₩847.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩29.0M

$25.3K ₩33.6M

-13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩139.2K

$51.6 ₩68.6K

102.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 ₩85.5K

$30.38 ₩40.4K

111.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ₩122.9K

$66.5 ₩88.5K

38.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩147.9K

$89.7 ₩119.2K

24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩614.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩594.3K

$381 ₩506.9K

17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 ₩1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 ₩1.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K ₩13.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 ₩4.0M

$6,733 ₩9.0M

-55.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,240 ₩3.0M

$1,856 ₩2.5M

20.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Pohang: October 11, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohang

$447 32.8%

Jeju

$381 34.5% 14.7% $66

Groceries & Markets

Pohang

$386 28.3%

Jeju

$140 * 12.7% 63.7% $246

Clothing & Footwear

Pohang

$168 12.3%

Jeju

$107 9.7% 36.1% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohang

$165 12.2%

Jeju

$290 26.2% 75.1% $124

Eating Out

Pohang

$137 10.1%

Jeju

$184 16.7% 34.7% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Pohang

$53 3.9%

Jeju

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Pohang

$6.2 * 0.5%

Jeju

$4.1 * 0.4% 33.3% $2.1

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 21% 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 $23.00 in Pohang versus $53.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Pohang vs $140 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Pohang

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

12:25 12:25 PM

Same time as Pohang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

514,869

469,279

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pohang Jeju 380 km

From you

Pohang
Jeju

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

Pohang vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pohang is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Pohang and $1,660 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 175% more in Pohang, 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 $23.00 in Pohang and $53.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,362 in Pohang and $1,107 in Jeju, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.