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Cost of Living in Seoul
Summary about cost of living in Seoul:
- Four-person family monthly costs: 3,483.46$ (3,943,803.42₩) without rent (using our estimator).
- A single person monthly costs: 954.73$ (1,080,902.44₩) without rent.
- Cost of living index in Seoul is 16.42% lower than in New York.
- Cost of living rank 66th out of 521 cities in the world.
- Seoul has a cost of living index of 83.58.
| Restaurants | [ Edit ] | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 6.18 $ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 35.33 $ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 5.30 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 3.09 $ | |
| Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) | 4.86 $ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 4.03 $ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (11.2 oz small bottle) | 1.29 $ | |
| Water (11.2 oz small bottle) | 0.73 $ | |
| Markets | [ Edit ] | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 7.94 $ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.45 $ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.68 $ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.38 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.45 $ | |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1 lb) | 3.77 $ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.68 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.98 $ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 1.87 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.78 $ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.24 $ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.45 $ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.25 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.32 $ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.03 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 17.67 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.05 $ | |
| Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) | 3.44 $ | |
| Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) | 3.97 $ | |
| Transportation | [ Edit ] | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.10 $ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 48.58 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.65 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1.42 $ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 9.10 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 5.04 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 28,264.81 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 23,864.99 $ | |
| Utilities (Monthly) | [ Edit ] | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 151.76 $ | |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.14 $ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 20.36 $ | |
| Sports And Leisure | [ Edit ] | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 56.32 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 13.96 $ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 8.83 $ | |
| Childcare | [ Edit ] | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 546.53 $ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 21,450.97 $ | |
| Clothing And Shoes | [ Edit ] | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 81.68 $ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 44.16 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 92.99 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 143.88 $ | |
| Rent Per Month | [ Edit ] | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 836.30 $ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 493.07 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,382.48 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,357.89 $ | |
| Buy Apartment Price | [ Edit ] | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,025.93 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 631.92 $ | |
| Salaries And Financing | [ Edit ] | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,573.24 $ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly | 3.55 |
Prices in Seoul
These data are based on 2036 entries in the past 18 months from 212 different contributors.
Last update: October 2017
Last update: October 2017
83 Comments so far
But, two things are very various depend on the situation.
1. Monthly Salary : In small, medium companies, office workers' annual salary starts around USD20,000(Highschool degree). But in big companies like Samsung, LG, etc. the salary would start around USD35,000 or more(Bac degree). This is based on new employees.
2. Rent : This is very uneven. Usually we rent flat/studio/apartment with deposit and rent.
Deposit is the money you give the landlord in case of breaking facilities in the house or delayed rent. They will deduct the amount when you move out. This starts from USD4,500 ~ 265,000. Of course there are contracts without deposit but I guess this is hard to find and may apply high rent. Also you can adjust the rent with more or less deposit. With more deposit, less rent you pay.
Here you can check the lists of rents. These are the most famous house rental website. But they only offer Korean language.
https://www.zigbang.com/
https://www.dabangapp.com/
Below are supermarket chains websites. You can order stuff from those websites and they deliver it to your home whenever the time you pick. You can see how much actual stuff cost in Korea.
http://www.homeplus.co.kr/
http://emart.ssg.com/
http://www.lottemart.com/
And Korean people living in big cities kinda speak English. Not much hard to find someone speak English. Most of young people understand what you are saying but they just don't know how to explain. lol
How much is the average earnings of a manager in Seoul?
Fast reply please... thanks.
Can also email to : shirleygan77@yahoo.com
We need a general/average price p/year for housing and study + basic item expenses so we can start saving
if you currently live in korea and can tell me the basic price of housing, ect. p/year for 4 people that would be a great help!!
Email: mathchick48@gmail.com
thankyou!!
Housing will be covered by work so trying to work out if living here is possible based on food expenses.
Thanks for any answers in advance!
It is vital for me to research where to go to because need to visit South Korea very soon.
I'd also like many pen pals.
Thanks
If someone has a house in Seoul and monthly stipend of 1.5 million won, can two people manage an average life ??? Without rental prices how much does it cost for each person to live in Seoul?//
They only give me 1300 USD/ month, and it's about the whole rental prices.
I would say it's hard to live in South Korea.
A part time job working at the grocery store pays about $1,000 per month.
Salary here is not like that, probably just half.
Just about 1300 USD/ month
Those prices shown above are the lowest or most cheap prices you can get with.
+20~30% or higher for CBD area.
Salary will be your major problem that you will faced.
Half the price, that's what can get.
Not a joke.
Some young people just get half.
And the office culture in S.Korea is goddam sick.
As someone who has lived in Seoul for 13 years, I can say with confidence that the situation looks more like as I have described below:
Correct prices are:
Domestic beer by bottle (in a convenience store): 3,000 won, (in a restaurant/bar): 5-6,000won
Imported beer by bottle (in a convenience store): 4,500 won, (in a restaurant/bar): 8-12,000won
Milk (quality milk--not the cheap, make-you-sick-stuff, per liter): 3,600 won, (per gallon, if such a thing existed here): 15,000won
Chicken breast (per 500 grams): 10,000won (or 9,000 won/per pound)
Utilities (electric/gas--water, garbage disposal NOT included), 915 square feet/85 m2 apartment: spring/fall: 90,000won, winter/summer: 410,000won, annual average: 250,000won/month
Average monthly disposable salary is also, on average, around 2,000,000won/month (after tax deductions).
This does not take into consideration deductions for pension plans and the national health insurance plan. When you factor those deductions, the average South Korean is probably looking at 1,700,00won/month in disposable income.--far less than the 2,670,000won stated above (which would be above the monthly per capita GDP for 2015!).
South Korea is a tough place to cut it if you are earning less than 4,000,000won/month. There is a reason (beyond culture) why adult children continue to live with their parents. To be "comfortable" as a single person (not a family or couple), you really need to be making at least 6,000,000won/month. If you are looking to come here and have been offered a job/position that will pay you less than 4,000,000won/month (especially so if your housing isn't subsidized by your employer), you really need to rethink your options. If you are earning 6,000,000won/month or more, you will be fine.
Yes, it should be enough :) But don't expect to live too luxuriously. But it should be enough to get by and by yourself stuff from time to time.
i think i am getting the same offer as u get , But i am not sure [ or waiting any feedback ] to know more about all those fees as electrical ,gas, water,internet bills ...
i think the transportation will be low as i will stay on the university BUT the website mentioned something about Residing Period will be 6 months .
so i am still confused ...
hope to hear form u if u know any details
Br
i am intending to visit university in Seoul for 6 months research visit for my phd research work. my stipend is $800 per month. i don't drink or smoke. would 800 will be enough for me per month including all utilities , living, house rent etc?
Well that's the tricky part. If I assume that I will workout and eat accordingly:
$70 gym membership, $60 chicken, $55 transportation, $45 for rice, $20 water. SUM = $250
looks like unsustainable. So lets forget working out and stuff:
$55 trans., $20 water, $40 rice, $10 phone, $25 candy n stuff, $100 going out 4 times a month. SUM = $250 seems legit. Maybe that $100 can be spent for grocery instead of enjoying a few weekend. I hope there are places which hires foreign students as part-timers :/
Ijust want to know how much is the cost of renting shop lot in everage monthly prices?.
Cause i intend to open a business there
Thanks
500 USD in Seoul a week ?
That's too much ! Probably 300 USD is enough.
There are many cheap restaurant in Seoul, but just keep away some dog meat restaurants.
So I want to go Seoul and live there.How much money do I need to have before going to Korea.
Especially food is cheap here, but street food are not very clean tho.
Housing is a little bit expensive like Taipei and Tokyo.
Good luck !
Am my name is Niki.
I am 17 years old and I am looking forward to study in Seoul university. I want to know how much does a student life cost in Korea because I want a 1bhk apartment near Seoul university I just wanted to know how much does living in Seoul cost other than the university expanses. :) please reply me like really fast.
Don't even know how they got license, pretty dangerous place for foreigners.
That's disgusting
I have been offered scholarship in Masters. Monthly stipend is 550$. I neither drink nor smoke. I may live in room of 3 students. Will this scholarship be enough?
I have been offered a PhD position in Seoul, Uni of Konkuk. The monthly scholarship is about 940 USD. Will this amount be sufficient. I drink, smoke and I am a vegan.
Just to help out a few people hear asking if 400£ or 400$ is enough for monthly expenses in Seoul. My answer to that question is most definitely NO.
Compared to New York and London
Cheaper:
Cigarettes
Transport
Domestic beers
More expensive:
Utilities
Rent (the actually 'rent' is cheaper but the deposit will set you back anything between $30,000-$100,000. That's to rent. Not to buy. They have a pretty funny rent/deposit system. If you take a loan out to pay this deposit, then you need to take into account the interest on the loan; so it's the quoted rent + interest on the loan for the deposit. Or you find a place without the insane deposit but the rents for those places are much more than the quoted prices here.)
Realistically speaking, if you would like to maintain the life style that you have in New York or London, you're looking at about 80-90% of those places. If you're a student, $1000 should be about enough.
in my country, Indonesia, you can buy a pack of marlboro at 15000 rupiah or about 1500 won,
1 litre of gasoline at 8500 rupiah or about 850 won, corona beer at 24000 rupiah or about 2400 won, a bowl of rice+fried chicken+a glass of ice tea you just pay about 12000 rupiah or 1200 won.
a good quality leather shoes (local made) you can pay just 300000 rupiah or about 30000 won.
one kilogram of good quality rice at 12000 rupiah or 1200 won
a plate of "nasi padang" + ice water 14000 rupiah or 1400 won
200grams of good quality powder milk for baby at 35000 rupiah or 3500 won
bus ticket for 20km just 7000 rupiah or 700 won
eggs (12pcs) = 15000 rupiah or 1500 won
rent a car for 24 hours 250000 rupiah or 25000 won
but almost electronic devices and transportation vehicles in my country are labeled with other countries brand, like samsung acer toshiba blackberry nokia honda hyundai yamaha etc , non of its are with local label though almost its parts are made here :)
our streets full of cars and motorcycles with japan and korea brands
you cant find a car or a motorcycle with indonesian own brand hehe
by the way, this is very usefull page for people around the world to compare the live cost in several country
keep posting bro ...
if you wanna resident in Kangnam, one bed room : 100,000USD of deposit only or deposit 2,000~4,000USD + 1000~1300USD/monthly
If you are native english speaker, you can have a opportunity in english tutor (even you need a certification) and it could you earn enough money to stay in korea.
overall, this website REALLY helped! that was a lot of info. Thanks!
i am going to have a journey to (seoul)south korea for 25 days to one monthes, i want to live at guest house and use the bus insted of taxi. can you tell me how much dose it expense?
Please give me estimate figure
thanks