Korean Job Discussion Forums

[johninmaine]

i realize this is a figurative question, but

since most income is pretty much fixed at 2.2,2.3....what would everyone guess would be monthly reasonable expenses for myself, wife, and baby??

(eating out only 1 x a week, and travelling 1 x a month)

supermarket = ? $400 / mo?
electric = ? avg size city $100 / mo
entertainment / travel = $100 / mo
wasted money = $50 / mo
newspapers / magazines = $50 / mo?
house furnishings = $50 / mo avg
soap,shampoo,toothpaste = $30 / mo

Total = $ ~ 800-900 / mo ??


any families in this same position??

[johninmaine]

...i put this under "job related" because it is indirectly related to which job i am going to take...

for example....for a family of 3, it is probably a big mistake to live in center Seoul --

[jay-shi]

[Juregen]

[jbpatlanta]

We have a family of three with a fourth on the way. Currently we are trying to save money. We eat well. We eat out once every weekend at a Korean restaurant. Spend money on the supermarket and lots of fresh produce.

Right now our budget is about 1.4 million and that includes everything from gasoline and food to utility bills. We live comfortably.

BTW I live in Daejeon and not in Seoul so my expenses are a litle cheaper.

[ttompatz]

[johninmaine]

so, i was about right on with the guestimate, at around
$800-1000 / mo for a family of myself, wife, and baby...

im really picking through this budget stuff, because my wife
won't be working,...so, if all we are gonna save is [b]$500 / mo,[/b]

we might as well move to Indiana....

but, if our savings moves up to $1400,$1500,$1600 post tax, that is a considerable difference than the US post tax


p.s. we won't have a car

[johninmaine]

Juregen ?

is your wife teaching also?


how do you arrive at 2mil in expenses per month, that's almost $600 US a week?

[VirginIslander]

Why would anyone with children here send their kids to Daycare.

I would assume that Koreans would pay top dollar to have their children go to your house with your English speaking children.

$500 per child. 6-10 Children. Eight Hours a day. Pay a Bulgarian to watch the kids.

Procreation will be a business for me.



Anways,

Good luck with the job search and factor in transporation. Make sure you live walking distance to your school. If not, you'll pay another $50 a month.

Also, how about clothing for your growing child as well as diapers and meds? And, will you be going to the gym? Will you or your wife attend Korean lessons: $50-$100.

Its easy to be fugile in Korea: just leave your bankcard at home. Eating out is dirty cheap; my meals at the local Korean restaurant are less than $3 (Tuna Gmbab and Ramyeon). However, I'll drop $60 at a thai joint.

Also, this might sound strange but I bought 22 pounds of protein for a little over $100 from Mass119. With that, some fruit and vegetables, Im trying to have simple yet healthy meals.

Your first concern should be housing. Have you been to Korea? If you dont find the right housing, your house might be too small for a crib. Not joking. Stay away from Seoul.

Big houses in Masan, which is near Busan.

Good Luck at PM if you need help.

[johninmaine]

hi VI, a few of those things i didn't consider:

transportation, diapers, clothing, ....but any of these are less than the US...diapers are about $60 a month here

good advice about the restaurants....in my travels in S.America, i rarely ate at the tourist, hip places...if you're hungry enough, you can eat cardboard....

daycare, we would never do...but, my wife would consider babysitting other Western kids....

thanks for the tip: didn't realize there were bigger houses near Busan...

how long have you been in S.K.??

[ontheway]

If you're careful, your wife might make a little money babysitting Korean kids to play with your kid and all speak English together.

Don't advertise and don't mention the English. Just wait a while and the opportunity will present itself.


If you find a decent school in a smaller city, but not too rural, you can have a nice life, live on 1.2 million and bank the rest. You can probably up your pay with overtime, too.

[johninmaine]

...thanks, ive thought about these things: babysitting (word of mouth, etc)

what small cities do you suggest?

public, or private school??

[Cheonmunka]

My family of four chews through 2.3-2.4 million per month. We don't pay rent but paid the chonsei lump sum. So there are no housing costs built into it - just monthly costs.
So many bills and expenses sure add-up.
gas, telephone, cellphones, electricity (no air-con), milk, my personal expenses (up to 200.000) wife's personal, (100.000,) gasoline, taekwondo classes (100,) piano classes, one kindergarten fee (subsidized,) Korean in-home teacher fee 튼튼한국어?(70,) food (maybe 800.000,) clothing.... And the list does go on.
We don't live luxuriously, I don't drink as a habit, and everyone but me eats rice and kimchi mostly. My lunches are given at my job. I eat (cheap-as) grains for breaky. Orange juice costs a lot. No joke when you buy 30 bottles a month.

I think there's a pronounced large jump between one child and two. I noticed it. Budget went from 1.7 to 2.5 between the kids. Saying that, how the heck did my mum and dad ever clothe and feed the four kids they had, I can't imagine.

I also can't imagine how some people here can make a workable budget for 1 million a month. I can't work out how that is possible.


Once or twice I thought my wife was exaggerating the costs but she showed me her expenditure book - she knows exactly where the money goes. Down to the nearest 1000 won.

[VirginIslander]

I would say stay away from Seoul. I live in a nice area of Busan with trees, mountains and beaches.

How long will you stay here? If you return every year, you'll have to buy a plane ticket for your wife. There goes your bonus but at least you'll have your pension (we get bonus equal to month's salary plus our pension back).

[garykasparov]