Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Jeonju Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Jeonju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,761 in Seoul versus $1,235 in Jeonju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,830 in Seoul versus $1,947 in Jeonju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,899 in Seoul versus $2,659 in Jeonju.

Living in Seoul is roughly 43% more expensive than in Jeonju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 32% above, Jeonju is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 ₩12.7K

$6.47 ₩9,443

34.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩79.2K

$27.94 ₩40.8K

94.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 ₩9,100

$5.04 ₩7,349

23.81%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₩5,569

$3.71 ₩5,418

2.96%

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

$1.73 ₩2,526

$1.12 ₩1,634

54.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,214

$0.69 ₩1,007

20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ₩5,293

$1.89 ₩2,753

92.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,539

$3.01 ₩4,396

94.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,274

$2.02 ₩2,955

10.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 ₩4,978

$2.16 ₩3,148

57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,519

$3.13 ₩4,572

-0.96%

Eggs

$3.21 ₩4,680

$2.93 ₩4,274

9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 ₩20.8K

$10.45 ₩15.2K

36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 ₩15.8K

$8.26 ₩12.1K

30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.24 ₩50.0K

$27.53 ₩40.2K

24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$8.06 ₩11.8K

$8.40 ₩12.3K

-4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩5,069

$3.10 ₩4,524

11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩7,920

$7.18 ₩10.5K

-24.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 ₩9,319

$5.30 ₩7,730

20.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,676

$5.08 ₩7,419

-23.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₩4,177

$2.89 ₩4,222

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,777

$2.12 ₩3,093

22.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,861

$1.20 ₩1,748

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,742

$3.36 ₩4,908

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 ₩24.4K

$16.99 ₩24.8K

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,446

$1.68 ₩2,447

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₩4,772

$3.46 ₩5,049

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,577

$1.11 ₩1,616

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩68.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₩5,290

$3.57 ₩5,204

1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₩766

$0.79 ₩1,154

-34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 ₩12.6K

$16.50 ₩24.1K

-47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,729

$1.21 ₩1,764

-2.48%

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

$27.6K ₩40.3M

$27.8K ₩40.5M

-0.49%

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

$25.4K ₩37.0M

$24.6K ₩35.8M

3.31%

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

$165 ₩240.4K

$188 ₩274.9K

-12.56%

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

$35.09 ₩51.2K

$51.4 ₩75.0K

-31.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 ₩32.7K

$22.33 ₩32.6K

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 ₩83.3K

$48.63 ₩71.0K

17.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 ₩33.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 ₩15.9K

$9.03 ₩13.2K

20.27%

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

$409 ₩597.3K

$491 ₩717.3K

-16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₩33.6M

$13.9K ₩20.3M

65.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 ₩86.7K

$28.85 ₩42.1K

105.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 ₩69.1K

$48.35 ₩70.6K

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 ₩117.0K

$67.5 ₩98.4K

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩171.3K

$120 ₩174.4K

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 ₩1.4M

$278 ₩405.6K

248.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₩852.0K

$224 ₩326.2K

161.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,535 ₩3.7M

$581 ₩847.5K

336.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 ₩1.9M

$467 ₩681.4K

183.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$25.9K ₩37.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩15.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,143 ₩4.6M

$2,017 ₩2.9M

55.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 22, 2026

Last update for Jeonju: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $969 in Seoul and $278 in Jeonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Seoul vs $28.00 in Jeonju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $491 vs $430 per month, with Jeonju cheaper across the board.

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 Jeonju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeonju is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Seoul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $969 in Seoul versus $278 in Jeonju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $409 in Seoul versus $491 in Jeonju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeonju – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $54.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,235 in Jeonju versus $1,761 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeonju but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Jeonju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Jeonju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jeonju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.