Korean Job Discussion Forums

ghost · Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Location: Many congenial places

When ghost lived in Taiwan last year (2005/2006) it found life very cheap and reasonable in relation to the average salary it earned there (about $20 U.S. per hour)...

For example ghost paid about $260 U.S. a month for a 3 bedroom apartment in the small city of Ching Shueh near Taichung, (ghost first had an allowance which covered 90% of the rent) and when ghost ate out (every day as a matter of fact....) it usually spent an average of $1.50-$2.00 U.S. per meal...either at University Cafeterias or at ``normal`` Taiwan small restaurants which were ubiquitous all over the Island. Paying for gas for the scooter was dirt cheap as well....for a few dollars ghost could travel for weeks on the scooter.....although it (ghost) mostly used a mountain bike to get to and from University....

In short......the cost of living was basically comparable to a third world Latin American country for food and general stuff....with the exception of hotels....which in Taiwan cost at the cheapest level....about $20 U.S. per night but more often $50-$100 for anything decent.....

Travel was also very cheap in Taiwan....using an inter city bus from Taichung to Taipei Airport - a two hour journey, only cost about $5 U.S.

Internet cafes - about $1 U.S per hour.($2.00 in the expensive places)....no need to buy a computer for the home...

Now - what about Korea? How much do all those things (mentioned) cost there? one certainly imagines a bit more (at least) expensive compared with Taiwan?

There is confusing info. in the news, which shows Seoul as being one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in....more expensive than the places we come from, yet people in Korea claim the country is pretty cheap...?

Thanks for the feedback.

ghost

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Seoul is the most expensive city in the world. It is more expensive than New York and Tokyo. Quality is low and price is high.

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

In the rural area I'm in some things are not available here. If you live in a rural area figure a trip to a bigger city once or twice a month to buy stuff you can't get in Podunk. -Jeff

DCJames · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

oneofthesarahs · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Location: Sacheon City

If you're willing to live in a more rural area of Korea, you can save a ton of money without really trying. I don't pay rent, so I don't know what it runs here, but I'm paying around 150 US for utilities/building maintenance. My internet runs about 15 US, and phone depends on how much I use long distance, but it's usually close to 40. Probably most of my meals average around 4, but I do a lot of cooking myself and spend maybe 20 bucks on grocery items a week.

Honestly, the majority of my money goes toward work related things: I had to buy a lot of my own school supplies and I've bought some new clothes that would be good for work. I also buy a lot of candy and junk for my students.

I plan on going home with a pretty good sum of money when my year is up, although I'll probably blow some of it on a nice vacation for myself on my way back.