Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suwon and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,372 in Suwon, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. The total is higher in Suwon despite lower rent and utilities.

Suwon, South Korea
Jeju, South Korea
Suwon
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,372
/mo nomad
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,118
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suwon and in Jeju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Suwon and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Suwon vs $1,118 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Suwon $1,372
  • Jeju $1,118

A couple spends around $2,163 per month in Suwon vs $1,917 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Suwon $2,163
  • Jeju $1,917

A family of three spends $2,954 per month in Suwon vs $2,715 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Suwon $2,954
  • Jeju $2,715

Suwon costs about 23% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.06 ₩8,102
$7.33 ₩9,803
-17.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.93 ₩40.0K
$51.9 ₩69.4K
-42.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.65 ₩10.2K
$5.61 ₩7,510
36.36%
Cappuccino
$3.41 ₩4,563
$5.87 ₩7,850
-41.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₩2,096
$2.19 ₩2,930
-28.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₩789
$2.06 ₩2,759
-71.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.83 ₩5,126
$3.93 ₩5,256
-2.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.77 ₩6,377
$3.07 ₩4,110
55.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.60 ₩3,485
$2.26 ₩3,023
15.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 ₩3,475
$2.31 ₩3,085
12.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.36 ₩4,501
$2.31 ₩3,091
45.45%
Eggs
$3.17 ₩4,241
$2.62 ₩3,505
20.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.15 ₩14.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.64 ₩15.6K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.39 ₩15.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$6.22 ₩8,322
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.93 ₩3,917
$2.20 ₩2,946
33.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.30 ₩7,087
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.40 ₩5,893
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$3.47 ₩4,637
$2.97 ₩3,968
16.84%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 ₩3,662
$1.87 ₩2,501
46.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.94 ₩6,606
$2.28 ₩3,044
116.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 ₩1,818
$0.47 ₩626
189.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.73 ₩4,990
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.45 ₩18.0K
$11.48 ₩15.4K
17.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 ₩3,387
$1.85 ₩2,470
36.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 ₩5,159
$1.72 ₩2,299
124.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 ₩1,655
$0.99 ₩1,323
25.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.67 ₩65.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 ₩3,854
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₩840
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.98 ₩12.0K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₩1,767
$1.37 ₩1,839
-3.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K ₩38.4M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K ₩33.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$186 ₩248.4K
$214 ₩286.3K
-13.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.20 ₩24.4K
$54.0 ₩72.2K
-66.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.99 ₩24.1K
$19.65 ₩26.3K
-8.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.73 ₩58.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.82 ₩15.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.19 ₩15.0K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$691 ₩924.8K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K ₩24.4M
$25.3K ₩33.8M
-27.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.03 ₩49.5K
$52.7 ₩70.5K
-29.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$109 ₩146.2K
$29.78 ₩39.8K
266.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.5 ₩102.3K
$66.6 ₩89.1K
14.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0 ₩80.3K
$90.8 ₩121.4K
-33.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$438 ₩586.2K
$461 ₩616.5K
-4.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$352 ₩470.9K
$388 ₩519.3K
-9.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 ₩1.6M
$1,372 ₩1.8M
-13.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$819 ₩1.1M
$1,192 ₩1.6M
-31.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.6K ₩16.8M
$10.8K ₩14.4M
17.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,074 ₩9.5M
$6,659 ₩8.9M
6.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suwon
Jeju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,638 ₩3.5M
$1,883 ₩2.5M
40.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
0
-

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

Last update for Suwon: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Suwon
$395
Jeju
–
Accommodation & Living
Suwon
$352
Jeju
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suwon
$222
Jeju
–
Eating Out
Suwon
$150
Jeju
–
Clothing & Footwear
Suwon
$127
Jeju
–
Sport & Entertainment
Suwon
$66
Jeju
–
Getting Around
Suwon
$60
Jeju
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Suwon versus $461 in Jeju. 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 40% higher in Suwon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Suwon versus $52 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Suwon vs $142 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Suwon
🇰🇷 Jeju
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
22:04 10:04 PM
Same time as Suwon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,203,000
469,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,338 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,493 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Suwon Jeju 420 km
From you
  • Suwon
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Suwon vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeju cheaper than Suwon?
Yes – Suwon is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,057 per month in Suwon and $1,677 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Suwon and Jeju?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $438 in Suwon and $461 in Jeju. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do food prices compare in Suwon and in Jeju?
Groceries cost about 179% more in Suwon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Suwon or in Jeju?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Suwon and $52 in Jeju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is safer, Suwon or Jeju?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Suwon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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