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 $1,188 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,274 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,957 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,510 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,640 in Cheonan, rent included.

Setagaya-ku is about 7% cheaper than Cheonan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Setagaya-ku and Cheonan are more affordable than the global median – Setagaya-ku 11% lower, Cheonan 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ¥1,092

$5.71 ₩8,745

19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 ¥5,628

$21.99 ₩33.7K

59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥841

$4.84 ₩7,420

8.68%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥522

$2.14 ₩3,283

52.34%

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

$1.10 ¥176

$1.20 ₩1,845

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.48 ₩735

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.55 ₩3,900

-16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$3.72 ₩5,696

-44.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥250

$1.50 ₩2,295

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥281

$3.52 ₩5,387

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 ¥783

$3.03 ₩4,644

61.39%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$1.73 ₩2,647

-12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 ¥1,582

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ¥995

$8.33 ₩12.8K

-25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,473

$11.97 ₩18.3K

29.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 ¥944

$7.33 ₩11.2K

-19.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 ¥486

$2.50 ₩3,825

21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥627

$5.57 ₩8,541

-29.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 ¥745

$5.31 ₩8,144

-12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥539

$4.99 ₩7,651

-32.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ¥596

$2.95 ₩4,527

26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥221

$0.92 ₩1,411

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$1.06 ₩1,619

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥638

$3.29 ₩5,034

21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,483

$16.68 ₩25.6K

-44.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥279

$1.77 ₩2,709

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.50 ₩2,296

38.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.12 ₩1,712

33.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,892

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥567

$2.96 ₩4,528

19.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥478

$0.84 ₩1,289

255.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.35 ¥3,575

$16.77 ₩25.7K

33.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.16 ₩1,780

2.59%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$27.8K ₩42.5M

-15.95%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$25.3K ₩38.7M

-26.40%

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

$83.7 ¥13.4K

$141 ₩215.5K

-40.50%

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

$27.09 ¥4,332

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-46.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.07 ¥5,449

$9.97 ₩15.3K

241.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.31 ¥7,888

$48.28 ₩74.0K

2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,227

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 ¥2,088

$7.57 ₩11.6K

72.39%

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

$284 ¥45.5K

$492 ₩754.0K

-42.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$14.1K ₩21.6M

-0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,637

$102 ₩156.0K

-59.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.15 ¥3,862

$48.01 ₩73.6K

-49.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.87 ¥7,337

$74.2 ₩113.7K

-38.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 ¥15.8K

$110 ₩168.5K

-10.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥73.7K

$453 ₩693.8K

1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥53.4K

$378 ₩578.7K

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥137.4K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥106.9K

$774 ₩1.2M

-13.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,689 ¥750.1K

$9,773 ₩15.0M

-52.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,426 ¥388.0K

$5,779 ₩8.9M

-58.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,419 ¥226.9K

$1,579 ₩2.4M

-10.13%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Setagaya-ku versus $453 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 11% 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 $35.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Setagaya-ku vs $362 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 7% 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 $1,782 per month in Setagaya-ku and $1,910 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 $1,188 in Setagaya-ku and $1,274 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $284 per month in Setagaya-ku and $492 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 $1,188, than in Cheonan at $1,274. 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.