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 $1,175 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,403 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,805 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,204 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $3,005 in Cheonan, rent included.

Setagaya-ku is about 16% cheaper than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Setagaya-ku sits 14% below the global median, while Cheonan is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 ¥976

$7.36 ₩9,982

-14.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 ¥3,973

$21.53 ₩29.2K

18.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ¥696

$4.20 ₩5,692

6.43%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ¥450

$1.47 ₩1,994

96.60%

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

$1.07 ¥167

$1.14 ₩1,544

-6.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥93.8

$1.35 ₩1,830

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ¥349

$2.20 ₩2,986

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥477

$4.21 ₩5,704

-27.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥192

$1.55 ₩2,104

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 ¥265

$3.16 ₩4,285

-45.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 ¥556

$2.98 ₩4,042

19.80%

Eggs

$1.22 ¥190

$2.59 ₩3,516

-52.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ¥1,800

$10.71 ₩14.5K

8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ¥911

$10.11 ₩13.7K

-42.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 ¥2,213

$24.13 ₩32.7K

-41.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.69 ¥885

$10.67 ₩14.5K

-46.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ¥435

$3.51 ₩4,757

-20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 ¥431

$7.99 ₩10.8K

-65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 ¥634

$5.60 ₩7,586

-27.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥407

$5.71 ₩7,741

-54.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 ¥412

$3.14 ₩4,263

-15.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥197

$2.79 ₩3,780

-54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥83.5

$1.31 ₩1,771

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 ¥576

$3.26 ₩4,425

13.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 ¥978

$17.74 ₩24.1K

-64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥267

$2.39 ₩3,242

-28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥312

$3.37 ₩4,570

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥227

$1.10 ₩1,485

32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 ¥9,152

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ¥405

$2.88 ₩3,904

-9.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 ¥397

$0.75 ₩1,017

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.04 ¥3,119

$16.10 ₩21.8K

24.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥164

$1.18 ₩1,604

-10.17%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$28.9K ₩39.2M

-25.20%

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

$17.8K ¥2.8M

$32.8K ₩44.5M

-45.76%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$191 ₩259.2K

-31.89%

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

$24.06 ¥3,745

$34.82 ₩47.2K

-30.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.88 ¥4,962

$25.91 ₩35.1K

23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 ¥7,851

$54.9 ₩74.5K

-8.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₩15.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 ¥1,835

$11.64 ₩15.8K

1.29%

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

$635 ¥98.8K

$611 ₩828.3K

3.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$20.7K ₩28.1M

-30.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.87 ¥5,739

$66.4 ₩90.0K

-44.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.69 ¥5,087

$58.2 ₩78.9K

-43.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 ¥9,402

$90.6 ₩122.8K

-33.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 ¥9,660

$125 ₩169.9K

-50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥71.4K

$426 ₩577.5K

7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥49.9K

$341 ₩462.6K

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥187.8K

$1,111 ₩1.5M

8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 ¥107.8K

$704 ₩954.6K

-1.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,726 ¥735.6K

$7,494 ₩10.2M

-36.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,124 ¥330.6K

$5,453 ₩7.4M

-61.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,446 ¥225.1K

$1,755 ₩2.4M

-17.57%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Setagaya-ku versus $426 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 21% 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 $26.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Setagaya-ku vs $463 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 19% more than Setagaya-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,763 per month in Setagaya-ku and $2,104 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 $1,175 in Setagaya-ku and $1,403 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $635 per month in Setagaya-ku and $611 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 $1,175, than in Cheonan at $1,403. 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.