Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,640 per month in Seongnam vs $1,358 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,448 per month in Seongnam vs $2,314 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Seongnam vs $3,271 in Jeju, rent included.

Seongnam costs about 21% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Seongnam and Jeju sit above the global median – Seongnam by 22%, Jeju by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ₩8,895

$6.52 ₩9,611

-7.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.21 ₩62.2K

$51.2 ₩75.4K

-17.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ₩6,546

$4.14 ₩6,093

7.25%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,542

$5.39 ₩7,947

-30.24%

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

$1.55 ₩2,278

$2.43 ₩3,577

-36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.72 ₩1,055

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ₩3,687

$3.94 ₩5,806

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₩5,488

$5.82 ₩8,581

-36.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,146

$2.22 ₩3,269

-3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ₩3,124

$2.23 ₩3,289

-4.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,749

$2.15 ₩3,162

49.77%

Eggs

$3.07 ₩4,526

$2.65 ₩3,906

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 ₩13.2K

$10.28 ₩15.1K

-12.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.5K

$8.16 ₩12.0K

-4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.70 ₩49.7K

$27.07 ₩39.9K

24.49%

Apples (1kg)

$7.92 ₩11.7K

$8.04 ₩11.9K

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩5,106

$3.27 ₩4,822

6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,360

$5.63 ₩8,296

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 ₩9,427

$5.40 ₩7,955

18.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₩5,190

$2.99 ₩4,403

17.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,250

$1.85 ₩2,731

55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 ₩3,761

$2.16 ₩3,189

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₩1,382

$0.46 ₩678

104.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,976

$3.41 ₩5,021

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₩24.5K

$15.49 ₩22.8K

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₩2,644

$1.87 ₩2,753

-4.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₩2,766

$1.67 ₩2,463

12.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,539

$0.90 ₩1,320

15.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,164

$2.55 ₩3,752

37.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩846

$0.58 ₩850

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩12.9K

$8.68 ₩12.8K

0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,825

$1.23 ₩1,812

0.81%

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

$27.8K ₩41.0M

$28.0K ₩41.2M

-0.53%

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

$25.1K ₩37.0M

$25.2K ₩37.2M

-0.60%

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

$163 ₩239.4K

$162 ₩238.7K

0.32%

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

$34.58 ₩50.9K

$34.77 ₩51.2K

-0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.44 ₩33.1K

$19.51 ₩28.7K

15.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 ₩70.9K

$36.31 ₩53.5K

32.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 ₩16.1K

$10.94 ₩16.1K

0.09%

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

$411 ₩605.7K

$360 ₩530.9K

14.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩34.8M

$24.9K ₩36.7M

-5.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩87.7K

$51.3 ₩75.6K

15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.41 ₩69.8K

$29.34 ₩43.2K

61.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₩116.8K

$64.1 ₩94.4K

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩171.9K

$88.0 ₩129.7K

32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩662.1K

$491 ₩723.3K

-8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ₩963.9K

$400 ₩588.9K

63.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₩1.6M

$1,010 ₩1.5M

6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₩1.5M

$1,118 ₩1.6M

-6.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K ₩18.0M

$9,859 ₩14.5M

24.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,803 ₩8.5M

$5,670 ₩8.4M

2.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 ₩5.1M

$1,715 ₩2.5M

101.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seongnam: April 28, 2026

Last update for Jeju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Seongnam versus $491 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 101% higher in Seongnam, 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 $42.00 in Seongnam versus $51.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $433 in Seongnam vs $396 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Seongnam vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,460 per month in Seongnam and $2,036 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 $42.00 in Seongnam and $51.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Seongnam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Seongnam at $1,640. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam 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, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.