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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,333 per month in Pohang vs $1,334 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Pohang vs $2,290 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in Pohang vs $3,246 in Jeju, rent included.

Pohang and Jeju have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 ₩8,018

$6.71 ₩10.3K

-22.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩28.0K

$51.2 ₩78.4K

-64.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ₩9,412

$4.04 ₩6,192

51.98%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₩4,565

$5.21 ₩7,986

-42.80%

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

$1.44 ₩2,208

$2.42 ₩3,701

-40.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₩787

$0.72 ₩1,099

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,741

$3.98 ₩6,101

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₩5,546

$5.71 ₩8,755

-36.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₩2,747

$2.14 ₩3,284

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,854

$2.25 ₩3,443

40.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$2.23 ₩3,417

13.45%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,547

$2.61 ₩3,997

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$10.53 ₩16.1K

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,860

$8.47 ₩13.0K

-23.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$27.80 ₩42.6K

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₩3,331

$7.66 ₩11.7K

-71.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,771

$3.12 ₩4,787

-0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.4K

$5.68 ₩8,696

31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ₩4,030

$5.35 ₩8,200

-50.84%

Potato (1kg)

$4.89 ₩7,485

$3.02 ₩4,627

61.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,494

$1.89 ₩2,897

55.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,093

$2.17 ₩3,329

-6.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,785

$0.46 ₩702

152.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,102

$3.25 ₩4,981

2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 ₩12.9K

$16.99 ₩26.0K

-50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₩2,280

$1.90 ₩2,914

-21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,163

$1.61 ₩2,469

109.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,691

$0.86 ₩1,319

27.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₩3,782

$2.53 ₩3,883

-2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,313

$0.53 ₩809

62.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 ₩25.1K

$8.57 ₩13.1K

91.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,864

$1.26 ₩1,934

-3.17%

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

$28.0K ₩42.8M

$28.0K ₩42.9M

-0.17%

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

$24.9K ₩38.2M

$24.8K ₩38.0M

0.52%

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

$106 ₩162.2K

$159 ₩243.6K

-33.42%

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

$50.1 ₩76.8K

$34.67 ₩53.1K

44.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$19.46 ₩29.8K

39.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 ₩45.2K

$36.23 ₩55.5K

-18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 ₩11.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩16.8K

$10.88 ₩16.7K

0.92%

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

$491 ₩752.6K

$367 ₩562.6K

33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩22.1M

$24.3K ₩37.2M

-40.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩159.3K

$51.3 ₩78.6K

102.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 ₩73.3K

$29.51 ₩45.2K

62.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 ₩133.5K

$66.3 ₩101.6K

31.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$89.4 ₩137.0K

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩682.9K

$501 ₩767.7K

-11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 ₩654.6K

$402 ₩616.0K

6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 ₩1.6M

$1,017 ₩1.6M

4.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.2M

$1,149 ₩1.8M

-32.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩15.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₩4.0M

$5,331 ₩8.2M

-51.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,229 ₩3.4M

$1,672 ₩2.6M

33.32%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Pohang versus $501 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 33% higher in Pohang. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Pohang versus $51.0 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $401 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,000 per month in Pohang and $2,001 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pohang, 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 $51.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $491 per month in Pohang and $367 in Jeju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pohang, where all-in costs run around $1,333, than in Jeju at $1,334. In Pohang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pohang – 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 Pohang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.