Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Cheonan Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Cheonan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,281 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,967 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,652 in Cheonan, rent included.

Setagaya-ku is about 8% cheaper than Cheonan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Setagaya-ku and Cheonan are more affordable than the global median – Setagaya-ku 12% lower, Cheonan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ¥1,144

$5.95 ₩8,853

18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,531

$22.10 ₩32.9K

53.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥853

$5.09 ₩7,578

3.14%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥530

$2.22 ₩3,300

46.85%

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

$1.13 ¥184

$1.17 ₩1,734

-3.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.51 ₩761

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ¥345

$2.63 ₩3,913

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥332

$3.74 ₩5,558

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥253

$1.50 ₩2,236

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥280

$3.60 ₩5,355

-52.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥805

$3.08 ₩4,578

60.71%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥258

$1.79 ₩2,662

-11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ¥1,610

$10.62 ₩15.8K

-6.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,016

$8.13 ₩12.1K

-23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 ¥2,473

$11.86 ₩17.6K

28.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 ¥969

$7.27 ₩10.8K

-18.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ¥504

$2.55 ₩3,792

21.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 ¥650

$5.66 ₩8,417

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 ¥729

$5.35 ₩7,958

-16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 ¥528

$5.26 ₩7,831

-38.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥597

$2.92 ₩4,349

25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$0.90 ₩1,340

53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥134

$1.04 ₩1,550

-21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ¥666

$3.40 ₩5,062

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 ¥1,521

$16.98 ₩25.3K

-44.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥298

$1.68 ₩2,497

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥348

$1.44 ₩2,144

48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥242

$1.12 ₩1,670

33.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥576

$2.97 ₩4,423

19.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥486

$0.79 ₩1,179

278.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.45 ¥3,648

$16.64 ₩24.8K

34.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥198

$1.15 ₩1,718

6.09%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$28.2K ₩41.9M

-19.13%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$25.1K ₩37.3M

-27.49%

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

$83.7 ¥13.6K

$143 ₩212.7K

-41.41%

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

$27.41 ¥4,454

$51.3 ₩76.4K

-46.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.46 ¥5,601

$10.03 ₩14.9K

243.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.43 ¥7,871

$48.50 ₩72.2K

-0.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.61 ¥2,212

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 ¥2,150

$7.50 ₩11.2K

76.40%

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

$285 ¥46.3K

$484 ₩720.8K

-41.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$14.2K ₩21.1M

-3.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 ¥6,893

$102 ₩152.0K

-58.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 ¥3,918

$47.89 ₩71.3K

-49.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.69 ¥7,264

$73.8 ₩109.8K

-39.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 ¥15.9K

$108 ₩161.3K

-9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥75.8K

$461 ₩685.5K

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥53.7K

$373 ₩554.8K

-11.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥140.6K

$1,077 ₩1.6M

-19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥107.9K

$753 ₩1.1M

-11.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 ¥689.2K

$8,049 ₩12.0M

-47.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 ¥290.6K

$4,770 ₩7.1M

-62.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 ¥230.3K

$1,624 ₩2.4M

-12.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

-52.61%

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

Last update for Setagaya-ku: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Setagaya-ku versus $461 in Cheonan. 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 15% higher in Cheonan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Setagaya-ku vs $363 in Cheonan – so Setagaya-ku 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

Setagaya-ku vs Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheonan costs about 9% more than Setagaya-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,766 per month in Setagaya-ku and $1,922 in Cheonan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setagaya-ku, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,177 in Setagaya-ku and $1,281 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $285 per month in Setagaya-ku and $484 in Cheonan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,177, than in Cheonan at $1,281. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.