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: $1,789 in Seoul versus $1,244 in Jeonju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,909 in Seoul versus $1,913 in Jeonju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,028 in Seoul versus $2,582 in Jeonju.

Living in Seoul is roughly 44% more expensive than Jeonju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 34% above, Jeonju is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 ₩13.0K

$6.55 ₩9,690

34.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.2 ₩83.0K

$27.84 ₩41.2K

101.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₩9,451

$5.23 ₩7,735

22.18%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,786

$3.72 ₩5,502

5.11%

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

$1.72 ₩2,541

$1.07 ₩1,588

60.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,157

$0.67 ₩992

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₩5,502

$1.94 ₩2,868

91.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,463

$3.02 ₩4,463

89.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,160

$2.00 ₩2,957

7.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 ₩5,027

$2.23 ₩3,294

52.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,730

$3.07 ₩4,538

4.23%

Eggs

$3.14 ₩4,647

$2.95 ₩4,365

6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 ₩21.3K

$10.52 ₩15.5K

36.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 ₩16.2K

$8.35 ₩12.3K

31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.84 ₩51.5K

$27.69 ₩40.9K

25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 ₩11.4K

$8.49 ₩12.5K

-9.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ₩5,269

$3.27 ₩4,836

8.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,176

$7.28 ₩10.8K

-24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 ₩9,403

$5.31 ₩7,846

19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ₩5,773

$5.00 ₩7,399

-22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,394

$2.97 ₩4,386

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 ₩3,868

$2.10 ₩3,111

24.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,959

$1.16 ₩1,713

14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₩4,835

$3.24 ₩4,796

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 ₩29.0K

$16.56 ₩24.5K

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₩3,616

$1.75 ₩2,587

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,775

$3.30 ₩4,884

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,663

$1.10 ₩1,628

1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.19 ₩68.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩5,274

$3.46 ₩5,121

3.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩781

$0.84 ₩1,245

-36.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 ₩13.4K

$16.82 ₩24.9K

-46.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,768

$1.20 ₩1,776

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

$27.8K ₩41.1M

$27.7K ₩40.9M

0.45%

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

$25.1K ₩37.1M

$25.3K ₩37.4M

-0.81%

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

$166 ₩245.2K

$190 ₩280.3K

-12.54%

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

$34.94 ₩51.7K

$50.1 ₩74.1K

-30.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.79 ₩32.2K

$21.84 ₩32.3K

-0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 ₩86.2K

$47.36 ₩70.0K

23.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.72 ₩35.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 ₩16.1K

$8.66 ₩12.8K

25.98%

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

$422 ₩623.2K

$486 ₩718.3K

-13.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩34.5M

$14.1K ₩20.9M

65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₩86.4K

$29.53 ₩43.7K

98.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.92 ₩70.8K

$47.99 ₩71.0K

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₩117.8K

$66.2 ₩97.8K

20.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.0K

$118 ₩173.7K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$282 ₩417.6K

241.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩888.2K

$223 ₩330.0K

169.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 ₩3.8M

$561 ₩828.7K

359.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₩2.0M

$463 ₩684.2K

185.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K ₩27.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,851 ₩14.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 ₩4.4M

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Jeonju: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Seoul and $282 in Jeonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56 in Seoul vs $28 in Jeonju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $499 vs $432 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,684 in Seoul and $1,866 in Jeonju to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $964 in Seoul versus $282 in Jeonju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $422 in Seoul versus $486 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 $56.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,244 in Jeonju versus $1,789 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 44% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.