Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,346 in Ulsan, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. The total is higher in Ulsan despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index

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Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,346

/mo nomad

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulsan 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 Ulsan and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Ulsan vs $1,118 in Jeju, rent included.

Ulsan $1,346
Jeju $1,118

A couple spends around $2,197 per month in Ulsan vs $1,917 in Jeju, rent included.

Ulsan $2,197
Jeju $1,917

A family of three spends $3,048 per month in Ulsan vs $2,715 in Jeju, rent included.

Ulsan $3,048
Jeju $2,715

Ulsan costs about 20% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$7.33 ₩9,784

3.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 ₩59.9K

$51.9 ₩69.2K

-13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩8,180

$5.61 ₩7,495

9.27%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ₩4,430

$5.87 ₩7,834

-43.44%

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

$0.93 ₩1,239

$2.19 ₩2,924

-57.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩580

$2.06 ₩2,753

-79.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₩3,930

$3.93 ₩5,245

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₩5,767

$3.07 ₩4,102

40.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,014

$2.26 ₩3,017

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 ₩4,362

$2.31 ₩3,079

41.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,270

$2.31 ₩3,085

38.53%

Eggs

$2.65 ₩3,540

$2.62 ₩3,498

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 ₩15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₩13.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.38 ₩33.9K

Apples (1kg)

$11.41 ₩15.2K

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩4,842

$2.20 ₩2,940

65.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.32 ₩11.1K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.08 ₩8,116

Potato (1kg)

$5.98 ₩7,983

$2.97 ₩3,960

101.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ₩4,525

$1.87 ₩2,496

81.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 ₩3,842

$2.28 ₩3,038

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,710

$0.47 ₩624

172.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,390

Wine (Bottle)

$19.01 ₩25.4K

$11.48 ₩15.3K

65.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₩3,326

$1.85 ₩2,465

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₩4,539

$1.72 ₩2,295

97.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,550

$0.99 ₩1,321

17.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩3,954

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₩973

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.05 ₩22.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₩1,912

$1.37 ₩1,835

4.38%

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

$39.2K ₩52.3M

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

$33.4K ₩44.7M

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

$203 ₩270.4K

$214 ₩285.7K

-5.37%

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

$36.55 ₩48.8K

$54.0 ₩72.0K

-32.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 ₩37.0K

$19.65 ₩26.2K

40.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₩81.5K

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 ₩14.0K

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

$260 ₩346.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K ₩29.5M

$25.3K ₩33.8M

-12.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 ₩70.1K

$52.7 ₩70.3K

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.45 ₩59.3K

$29.78 ₩39.8K

49.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₩79.9K

$66.6 ₩88.9K

-10.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ₩99.7K

$90.8 ₩121.2K

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 ₩499.8K

$461 ₩615.2K

-18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₩323.3K

$388 ₩518.2K

-37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₩987.7K

$1,372 ₩1.8M

-46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₩870.9K

$1,192 ₩1.6M

-45.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,467 ₩6.0M

$10.8K ₩14.4M

-58.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₩3.2M

$6,659 ₩8.9M

-63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,314 ₩3.1M

$1,883 ₩2.5M

22.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

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

Last update for Ulsan: 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

Ulsan

$492 36.6%

Jeju

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulsan

$267 19.8%

Jeju

–

Accommodation & Living

Ulsan

$242 18%

Jeju

–

Eating Out

Ulsan

$148 11%

Jeju

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ulsan

$104 7.7%

Jeju

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ulsan

$82 6.1%

Jeju

–

Getting Around

Ulsan

$11 * 0.8%

Jeju

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $374 in Ulsan 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 23% higher in Ulsan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Ulsan versus $52 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $492 in Ulsan vs $142 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🇰🇷 Jeju

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

Same time as Ulsan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,129,827

469,279

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Ulsan Jeju 340 km

From you

Ulsan
Jeju

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

Ulsan vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Ulsan and $1,677 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $374 there versus $461 in Jeju.

Groceries cost about 248% more in Ulsan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Ulsan and $52 in Jeju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,346 in Ulsan and $1,118 in Jeju, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.