Cost of Living Comparison Between Suwon and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Suwon and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Suwon vs $1,358 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,096 per month in Suwon vs $2,314 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,798 per month in Suwon vs $3,271 in Jeju, rent included.

Suwon costs about 3% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Suwon and Jeju sit above the global median – Suwon by 4%, Jeju by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 ₩11.0K

$6.52 ₩9,611

14.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 ₩42.9K

$51.2 ₩75.4K

-43.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ₩7,472

$4.14 ₩6,093

22.46%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₩5,225

$5.39 ₩7,947

-34.14%

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

$1.54 ₩2,274

$2.43 ₩3,577

-36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₩1,006

$0.72 ₩1,055

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,497

$3.94 ₩5,806

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,391

$5.82 ₩8,581

-25.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,190

$2.22 ₩3,269

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 ₩3,333

$2.23 ₩3,289

1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,734

$2.15 ₩3,162

49.30%

Eggs

$2.41 ₩3,546

$2.65 ₩3,906

-9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ₩15.9K

$10.28 ₩15.1K

5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₩15.8K

$8.16 ₩12.0K

31.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 ₩17.8K

$27.07 ₩39.9K

-55.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,154

$8.04 ₩11.9K

-31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ₩4,089

$3.27 ₩4,822

-14.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.23 ₩7,702

$5.63 ₩8,296

-7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,767

$5.40 ₩7,955

-52.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ₩5,915

$2.99 ₩4,403

34.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 ₩3,295

$1.85 ₩2,731

21.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,811

$2.16 ₩3,189

19.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₩1,320

$0.46 ₩678

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,785

$3.41 ₩5,021

-4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 ₩18.3K

$15.49 ₩22.8K

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₩3,009

$1.87 ₩2,753

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₩3,183

$1.67 ₩2,463

29.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,782

$0.90 ₩1,320

34.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.80 ₩70.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 ₩4,015

$2.55 ₩3,752

7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩828

$0.58 ₩850

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩12.6K

$8.68 ₩12.8K

-1.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,835

$1.23 ₩1,812

1.63%

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

$28.2K ₩41.5M

$28.0K ₩41.2M

0.82%

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

$13.9K ₩20.4M

$25.2K ₩37.2M

-45.07%

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

$165 ₩242.5K

$162 ₩238.7K

1.60%

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

$34.89 ₩51.4K

$34.77 ₩51.2K

0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 ₩32.4K

$19.51 ₩28.7K

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.83 ₩67.5K

$36.31 ₩53.5K

26.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ₩21.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 ₩16.5K

$10.94 ₩16.1K

2.56%

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

$420 ₩619.1K

$360 ₩530.9K

16.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩34.6M

$24.9K ₩36.7M

-5.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.24 ₩50.4K

$51.3 ₩75.6K

-33.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.28 ₩71.1K

$29.34 ₩43.2K

64.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 ₩116.9K

$64.1 ₩94.4K

23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.84 ₩39.5K

$88.0 ₩129.7K

-69.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ₩654.8K

$491 ₩723.3K

-9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₩655.9K

$400 ₩588.9K

11.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ₩1.4M

$1,010 ₩1.5M

-9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 ₩1.3M

$1,118 ₩1.6M

-22.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩16.0M

$9,859 ₩14.5M

9.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,590 ₩9.7M

$5,670 ₩8.4M

16.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,276 ₩3.4M

$1,715 ₩2.5M

32.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Suwon: April 25, 2026

Last update for Jeju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Suwon versus $491 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 33% higher in Suwon, 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 $29 in Suwon versus $51 in Jeju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $396 – making Suwon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Suwon is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,090 per month in Suwon and $2,036 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Suwon and $51.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Suwon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Suwon at $1,393. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suwon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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