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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Seongnam vs $1,029 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,226 per month in Seongnam vs $1,771 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,119 per month in Seongnam vs $2,513 in Jeju, rent included.

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

Both Seongnam and Jeju are more affordable than the global median – Seongnam 3% lower, Jeju 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 ₩8,648

$7.07 ₩9,822

-12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.15 ₩53.0K

$49.45 ₩68.7K

-22.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩8,763

$5.18 ₩7,200

21.62%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ₩5,555

$5.84 ₩8,121

-31.51%

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

$1.50 ₩2,079

$2.14 ₩2,975

-29.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,125

$1.80 ₩2,496

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 ₩4,774

$3.39 ₩4,705

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₩4,823

$2.78 ₩3,865

24.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,792

$2.10 ₩2,919

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₩3,975

$2.10 ₩2,918

36.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 ₩4,764

$2.09 ₩2,908

64.11%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,247

$2.46 ₩3,416

24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 ₩12.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 ₩10.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.91 ₩30.5K

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩10.2K

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,561

$2.11 ₩2,933

55.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩7,541

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 ₩8,668

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 ₩5,139

$2.83 ₩3,940

30.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 ₩3,344

$1.73 ₩2,410

39.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,490

$2.09 ₩2,910

20.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₩1,437

$0.44 ₩607

134.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₩4,319

Wine (Bottle)

$17.80 ₩24.7K

$10.53 ₩14.6K

69.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₩2,550

$1.72 ₩2,387

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₩2,474

$1.62 ₩2,258

9.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₩1,420

$0.91 ₩1,262

12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ₩4,583

$3.12 ₩4,331

5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩886

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 ₩12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₩1,780

$1.25 ₩1,744

2.40%

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

$27.3K ₩38.0M

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

$26.3K ₩36.6M

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

$194 ₩269.4K

$197 ₩274.4K

-1.82%

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

$34.28 ₩47.6K

$50.2 ₩69.7K

-31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.11 ₩26.6K

$18.80 ₩26.1K

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 ₩74.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.41 ₩15.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.41 ₩14.5K

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

$557 ₩773.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₩23.8M

$23.8K ₩33.1M

-28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₩77.1K

$48.36 ₩67.2K

14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.40 ₩43.6K

$27.76 ₩38.6K

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ₩90.3K

$61.9 ₩86.0K

4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 ₩109.1K

$85.9 ₩119.4K

-8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₩587.7K

$446 ₩620.0K

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₩455.5K

$355 ₩493.9K

-7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₩1.5M

$1,270 ₩1.8M

-15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 ₩1.3M

$1,076 ₩1.5M

-9.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,298 ₩10.1M

$9,720 ₩13.5M

-24.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,270 ₩7.3M

$6,426 ₩8.9M

-17.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₩2.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

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

Last update for Seongnam: August 17, 2026

Last update for Jeju: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Seongnam versus $446 in Jeju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Seongnam versus $49.00 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Seongnam vs $131 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 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 $2,001 per month in Seongnam and $1,544 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 204% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Seongnam and $49.00 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 $1,029, than in Seongnam at $1,334. 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.