Cost of Living Comparison Between Wonju and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Wonju and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,488 per month in Wonju vs $1,338 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Wonju vs $2,319 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,195 per month in Wonju vs $3,299 in Jeju, rent included.

Wonju costs about 11% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wonju and Jeju sit above the global median – Wonju by 12%, Jeju by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 ₩10.4K

$6.65 ₩9,564

8.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ₩52.5K

$52.2 ₩75.0K

-30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,623

$4.14 ₩5,953

44.93%

Cappuccino

$4.16 ₩5,978

$5.26 ₩7,564

-20.91%

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

$1.79 ₩2,576

$2.39 ₩3,441

-25.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩1,986

$0.70 ₩1,008

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₩5,353

$4.10 ₩5,896

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₩8,502

$5.71 ₩8,209

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ₩3,293

$2.24 ₩3,223

2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 ₩5,198

$2.15 ₩3,098

67.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,506

$2.17 ₩3,118

44.24%

Eggs

$2.91 ₩4,186

$2.60 ₩3,742

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 ₩15.1K

$10.62 ₩15.3K

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 ₩11.8K

$8.29 ₩11.9K

-1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.71 ₩39.8K

$27.81 ₩40.0K

-0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$8.22 ₩11.8K

$7.87 ₩11.3K

4.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,631

$3.21 ₩4,624

0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.27 ₩10.5K

$5.65 ₩8,121

28.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 ₩7,781

$5.38 ₩7,732

0.56%

Potato (1kg)

$5.24 ₩7,534

$2.98 ₩4,288

75.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 ₩4,335

$1.87 ₩2,691

60.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,888

$2.18 ₩3,142

-7.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,738

$0.45 ₩652

168.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,844

$3.36 ₩4,840

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.29 ₩24.9K

$10.44 ₩15.0K

65.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,519

$1.87 ₩2,683

-6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ₩4,804

$1.67 ₩2,398

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,604

$0.90 ₩1,300

24.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩5,051

$2.51 ₩3,604

39.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,215

$0.58 ₩828

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.41 ₩23.6K

$8.56 ₩12.3K

91.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,669

$1.28 ₩1,846

-9.38%

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

$27.3K ₩39.3M

$27.7K ₩39.9M

-1.55%

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

$24.9K ₩35.7M

$25.3K ₩36.4M

-1.67%

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

$187 ₩268.9K

$158 ₩227.7K

18.09%

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

$50.1 ₩72.0K

$35.48 ₩51.0K

41.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.04 ₩38.9K

$19.16 ₩27.6K

41.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.61 ₩68.5K

$36.67 ₩52.7K

29.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 ₩16.5K

$10.83 ₩15.6K

6.00%

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

$479 ₩689.0K

$363 ₩521.8K

32.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.0M

$24.9K ₩35.8M

-44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩149.4K

$50.5 ₩72.6K

105.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 ₩68.6K

$29.77 ₩42.8K

60.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 ₩127.6K

$65.2 ₩93.8K

35.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₩172.3K

$87.2 ₩125.4K

37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩642.6K

$486 ₩699.0K

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₩533.9K

$398 ₩572.7K

-6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 ₩1.5M

$1,041 ₩1.5M

0.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ₩1.1M

$1,129 ₩1.6M

-32.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,290 ₩11.9M

$9,502 ₩13.7M

-12.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₩6.3M

$6,054 ₩8.7M

-27.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,736 ₩2.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

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

Last update for Wonju: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Wonju versus $486 in Jeju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Wonju versus $52.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Wonju vs $388 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

Wonju vs Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wonju is pricier by about 11%, 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 $2,233 per month in Wonju and $2,007 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 $36.00 in Wonju and $52.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Wonju, 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 $1,338, than in Wonju at $1,488. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wonju 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, Wonju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.