Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Ulsan vs $1,358 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,194 per month in Ulsan vs $2,314 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Ulsan vs $3,271 in Jeju, rent included.

Ulsan costs about 5% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulsan and Jeju sit above the global median – Ulsan by 7%, Jeju by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₩9,469

$6.52 ₩9,611

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.85 ₩44.0K

$51.2 ₩75.4K

-41.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 ₩7,070

$4.14 ₩6,093

15.94%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ₩4,459

$5.39 ₩7,947

-43.78%

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

$1.08 ₩1,595

$2.43 ₩3,577

-55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₩574

$0.72 ₩1,055

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ₩3,891

$3.94 ₩5,806

-32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ₩4,976

$5.82 ₩8,581

-41.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₩2,550

$2.22 ₩3,269

-22.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ₩3,187

$2.23 ₩3,289

-3.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₩2,685

$2.15 ₩3,162

-15.35%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,383

$2.65 ₩3,906

12.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 ₩15.3K

$10.28 ₩15.1K

0.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 ₩12.3K

$8.16 ₩12.0K

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.09 ₩41.4K

$27.07 ₩39.9K

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.15 ₩10.5K

$8.04 ₩11.9K

-11.07%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ₩4,761

$3.27 ₩4,822

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.42 ₩10.9K

$5.63 ₩8,296

31.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 ₩6,672

$5.40 ₩7,955

-16.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 ₩5,332

$2.99 ₩4,403

21.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 ₩3,539

$1.85 ₩2,731

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,110

$2.16 ₩3,189

-2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₩1,343

$0.46 ₩678

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,761

$3.41 ₩5,021

-5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.20 ₩25.3K

$15.49 ₩22.8K

11.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,495

$1.87 ₩2,753

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₩4,992

$1.67 ₩2,463

102.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₩1,320

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ₩3,496

$2.55 ₩3,752

-7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,254

$0.58 ₩850

46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.28 ₩24.0K

$8.68 ₩12.8K

87.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,718

$1.23 ₩1,812

-4.88%

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

$27.6K ₩40.6M

$28.0K ₩41.2M

-1.41%

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

$25.2K ₩37.2M

-0.07%

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

$186 ₩274.1K

$162 ₩238.7K

14.82%

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

$51.1 ₩75.3K

$34.77 ₩51.2K

46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 ₩41.4K

$19.51 ₩28.7K

43.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ₩85.3K

$36.31 ₩53.5K

59.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 ₩15.0K

$10.94 ₩16.1K

-7.13%

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

$256 ₩377.2K

$360 ₩530.9K

-28.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.6M

$24.9K ₩36.7M

-43.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩149.4K

$51.3 ₩75.6K

97.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.92 ₩70.6K

$29.34 ₩43.2K

63.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 ₩128.1K

$64.1 ₩94.4K

35.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.0K

$88.0 ₩129.7K

33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₩413.3K

$491 ₩723.3K

-42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₩558.7K

$400 ₩588.9K

-5.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ₩1.6M

$1,010 ₩1.5M

7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₩1.1M

$1,118 ₩1.6M

-32.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,095 ₩6.0M

$9,859 ₩14.5M

-58.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 ₩3.7M

$5,670 ₩8.4M

-56.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,383 ₩3.5M

$1,715 ₩2.5M

38.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

-3.38%

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

Last update for Ulsan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Jeju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Ulsan 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 39% higher in Ulsan, 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 $30.00 in Ulsan versus $51.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $407 in Ulsan vs $396 in Jeju – so Jeju 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

Ulsan vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Ulsan 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 $30.00 in Ulsan and $51.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Ulsan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Ulsan at $1,427. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsan 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, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.