Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul 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 Seoul and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Seoul vs $1,118 in Jeju, rent included.

Seoul $1,848
Jeju $1,118

A couple spends around $2,986 per month in Seoul vs $1,917 in Jeju, rent included.

Seoul $2,986
Jeju $1,917

A family of three spends $4,125 per month in Seoul vs $2,715 in Jeju, rent included.

Seoul $4,125
Jeju $2,715

Seoul costs about 65% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 36% above the global median, while Jeju is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩12.0K

$7.33 ₩9,728

23.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 ₩90.7K

$51.9 ₩68.8K

31.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 ₩9,756

$5.61 ₩7,452

31.02%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₩5,466

$5.87 ₩7,789

-29.81%

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

$1.64 ₩2,182

$2.19 ₩2,907

-25.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,071

$2.06 ₩2,737

-60.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩4,923

$3.93 ₩5,215

-5.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 ₩8,142

$3.07 ₩4,078

99.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₩2,711

$2.26 ₩3,000

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,262

$2.31 ₩3,062

38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 ₩5,824

$2.31 ₩3,067

90.04%

Eggs

$3.59 ₩4,767

$2.62 ₩3,478

37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩13.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩35.7K

Apples (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.4K

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,685

$2.20 ₩2,923

60.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 ₩7,572

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,201

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₩4,995

$2.97 ₩3,938

26.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₩3,334

$1.87 ₩2,481

34.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,737

$2.28 ₩3,020

23.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,473

$0.47 ₩621

136.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,381

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 ₩24.7K

$11.48 ₩15.2K

62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,211

$1.85 ₩2,451

30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,458

$1.72 ₩2,281

95.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,582

$0.99 ₩1,313

20.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩4,715

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩801

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₩1,909

$1.37 ₩1,825

5.11%

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

$30.3K ₩40.2M

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

$28.9K ₩38.4M

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

$213 ₩282.1K

$214 ₩284.1K

-0.69%

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

$35.83 ₩47.6K

$54.0 ₩71.6K

-33.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.39 ₩28.4K

$19.65 ₩26.1K

8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩81.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ₩15.2K

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.2M

$25.3K ₩33.6M

-9.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₩79.4K

$52.7 ₩69.9K

13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 ₩45.4K

$29.78 ₩39.5K

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ₩87.6K

$66.6 ₩88.4K

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ₩108.7K

$90.8 ₩120.5K

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 ₩1.2M

$461 ₩611.7K

100.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₩875.0K

$388 ₩515.3K

69.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 ₩4.0M

$1,372 ₩1.8M

119.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 ₩1.9M

$1,192 ₩1.6M

20.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.1M

$10.8K ₩14.3M

152.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.0M

$6,659 ₩8.8M

69.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 ₩4.7M

$1,883 ₩2.5M

89.55%

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 Seoul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Jeju

–

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Jeju

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Jeju

–

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10%

Jeju

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Jeju

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Jeju

–

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Jeju

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $924 in Seoul versus $461 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 90% higher in Seoul. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Seoul versus $52 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $483 vs $142 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

Same time as Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

469,279

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.53 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.53 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Seoul vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,771 per month in Seoul and $1,677 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $924 in Seoul.

Groceries cost about 241% more in Seoul, 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 $68 in Seoul and $52 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 $1,118, than in Seoul at $1,848. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.