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 $1,246 in Jeonju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,851 in Seoul versus $1,912 in Jeonju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,940 in Seoul versus $2,578 in Jeonju.

Living in Seoul is roughly 41% more expensive than Jeonju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 31% above, Jeonju is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 ₩13.5K

$6.65 ₩10.2K

32.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 ₩84.3K

$27.74 ₩42.4K

99.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 ₩9,682

$4.99 ₩7,622

27.05%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ₩6,001

$3.78 ₩5,771

3.97%

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

$1.74 ₩2,659

$1.11 ₩1,700

56.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,291

$0.65 ₩990

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,489

$1.93 ₩2,944

86.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,936

$2.95 ₩4,509

98.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,383

$2.03 ₩3,094

9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 ₩5,039

$2.16 ₩3,301

52.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,719

$3.02 ₩4,617

2.32%

Eggs

$3.20 ₩4,890

$2.85 ₩4,358

12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 ₩21.5K

$10.51 ₩16.1K

34.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 ₩16.8K

$8.18 ₩12.5K

34.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.92 ₩51.8K

$27.82 ₩42.5K

21.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.9K

$8.40 ₩12.8K

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩5,520

$3.21 ₩4,896

12.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,671

$7.28 ₩11.1K

-21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩10.1K

$5.31 ₩8,115

24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₩6,029

$5.24 ₩7,996

-24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,548

$3.02 ₩4,617

-1.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 ₩3,842

$2.12 ₩3,237

18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,950

$1.20 ₩1,826

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,092

$3.24 ₩4,951

2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ₩29.3K

$16.51 ₩25.2K

16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,571

$1.67 ₩2,550

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,152

$3.43 ₩5,239

-1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,646

$1.12 ₩1,708

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.54 ₩71.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩5,317

$3.55 ₩5,420

-1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩865

$0.79 ₩1,208

-27.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩13.5K

$16.24 ₩24.8K

-45.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,838

$1.17 ₩1,786

2.56%

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

$28.1K ₩43.0M

$27.6K ₩42.1M

2.08%

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

$24.7K ₩37.8M

$24.9K ₩38.1M

-0.78%

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

$166 ₩253.7K

$187 ₩285.5K

-11.14%

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

$34.26 ₩52.3K

$49.82 ₩76.1K

-31.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 ₩34.1K

$22.14 ₩33.8K

0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₩88.0K

$48.28 ₩73.7K

19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ₩35.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 ₩16.6K

$8.95 ₩13.7K

21.68%

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

$409 ₩625.2K

$490 ₩749.1K

-16.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.8M

$14.1K ₩21.6M

66.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩90.9K

$28.98 ₩44.3K

105.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 ₩72.2K

$46.99 ₩71.8K

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩119.5K

$67.4 ₩102.9K

16.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩179.3K

$116 ₩177.9K

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 ₩1.5M

$281 ₩429.0K

242.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₩889.7K

$219 ₩333.8K

166.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,572 ₩3.9M

$572 ₩873.8K

349.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 ₩2.0M

$455 ₩694.5K

192.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩41.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K ₩16.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$1,995 ₩3.0M

55.12%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jeonju: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $962 in Seoul and $281 in Jeonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 55% 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: $55.0 in Seoul vs $28.00 in Jeonju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 vs $431 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seoul pays 55% more on average, 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: $962 in Seoul versus $281 in Jeonju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $409 in Seoul versus $490 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 $55.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,246 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 41% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.