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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:21 am Post subject: Seoul prices compard to London's |
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I believe that part of this is quite unfair - comparing import prices and all. But for the most part, it just goes to show how expensive things are in Seoul.
Sure, you can still find kimbap for under 2000, but what's in it?? lol
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200710/200710100009.html
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The U.K. is notorious for its high prices, especially public transport and eating out in London. The underground costs 4 pounds or some W7,500 in downtown London, and the basic bus fare is 2 pounds - that is three to seven times higher than in Seoul (W1,000 each). The price of a bowl of black bean paste noodle is as much as 5-5.90 pounds. Koreans living in the U.K. seem resigned to the fact. They say if they try to translate pounds into Korean won, they would end up starving to death. But when it comes to commodity prices, the story is different. Meat and vegetables are available at cheaper prices than in Seoul in the supermarkets, and premium brand goods are also much cheaper in London.
◆ Beef four times more expensive in Seoul
Hong Seong-nyeo lives in London and cooks beef once or twice a week. She shops in Tesco�s, where 600 g of best-quality steak costs no more than W15,000 for her family of four. The same amount at E-mart in Seoul costs some W56,000. The price of fresh bacon is a third of the price in Seoul. For W10,000, you can buy only 515 g of good-quality pork in a E-mart in Seoul, but in London it buys 1,620 g. And an organic egg costs W508 in a London Tesco but is W190 more expensive in a Seoul E-mart.
The price of milk is also below W1,000 for 1 liter in a London Tesco, but in a E-mart even the cheapest exceeds W1,200. A box of 600 g Kellogg�s Corn Flakes is W4,350 in Seoul but costs less in London although it comes with 150 g more per packet. Some vegetables like onions and cucumbers are more expensive in London, but comparing the bills of 15 items bought, Seoul was still more than twice as expensive as London -- W143,000 against W64,000. Even excluding beef and pork, London (W46,000) is cheaper than Seoul (W75,000).
◆ Hugo Boss men�s suit W500,000 more expensive in Seoul
At the Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam, Seoul, Lancome�s eye cream costs W150,000 and Estee Lauder�s W75,000. But the same Lancome eye cream is available at 36 percent cheaper or W96,000 (51.50 pounds) in London�s biggest department store Selfridge�s. The Estee Lauder product is also W15,000 cheaper there. The same goes for men�s cosmetic products. It costs W43,000 to buy a 100 ml bottle of Biotherm lotion in Seoul, but in London a 200 ml bottle costs W7,000 less. And what about Korean girls� favorite Louis Vuitton bags? The basic Speedy costs W670,000 in Seoul, W90,000 more expensive than in London. A Prada bag is also W300,000 more expensive in Seoul (W1.6 million) than in London (W1.3 million).
A men�s suit in a Hugo Boss store in downtown London was tagged at 600 pounds (W1.12 million), but the same suit was sold at W1.68 million in Seoul. The situation is not much different in outlet stores. In Bicester Village, an outlet mall in northwestern London, men�s polo T-shirts, whose original price is 55 pounds (W102,000), are sold for 19.99 pounds (W37,000). They cost W69,000 at an outlet in Yeoju, Korea. Burberry classic checked shirts for men are offered at one-third of the original price (120 pounds) in the London outlet, but three times as expensive at W208,000 in the Korean one. |
I think they cherry-picked those items though.
The one that gets me is the beef - man, that must be the reason cravin' boshintang. lol |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:34 am Post subject: |
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Yes, prices are very expensive here.
As I've stated before, there are those apologists who will first quote how they can spend 3,500 at a dirty spoon Korean restaurant, then turn around and call you an idiot for not liking Korean food when you say you don't want to eat at those places.
Guess what... a lot of Koreans don't, either.
Seoul has gotten very, very expensive in the past ten years.
Isn't Seoul ranked 3rd and Tokyo 2nd behind Moscow in being the most expensive places to live? I think they actually eclipsed London in a recent tally. |
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bigverne

Joined: 12 May 2004
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: |
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The biggest problem with living in London, and what accounts for by far the biggest proportion of spending is rent. Even if you share a house with friends, rent is likely to be around �500 a month (around 1 million won). You could possibly get cheaper, but that would either mean a very long commute, or living in a run-down inner city dump populated by criminals and chavs. For the same price, you could afford to get a very nice bachelor pad in Seoul. |
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wo buxihuan hanguoren

Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Suyuskis
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:28 am Post subject: |
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Not just Seoul, but Korea, is really expensive. Besides internet and buses, this place is insane.
Good Korean food? Expensive. And Korean food is not good in general, but my god, 25 bucks for PIG spine and potatoes that will leave you hungry again after 2 hours? Jesus...
I swear, if the Vietnamese weren't so goddamn annoying and thievish, that is a place where you could live like a king teaching there. Definitely the hidden secret of EFL in Asia. |
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Capo
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:49 am Post subject: |
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having lived in both places i can safely say london is more expensive, which comes down to the cost of labour, travel and buildings. What suprised me is the supermarkets here are more expensive than back home in london for most things, yet when you eat out it is much cheaper unless you eat at a foreign rastaurant or beef galbi. However in london you will be dining in a place which is considerably more comfortable and in more pleasant surroundings. Drinks are way more expensive in london too try finding some draft beer for under 6000W will be very difficult, n a pack or cigarettes will set you back around 12,000W, but then i guess that also comes down to the tax regime, we don't pay for medical as that is free at the point of use.
If you eat out, basic take away stuff costs 10,000wPP n unless you really know where to look u will be paying atleast 20,000wPP to eat in somewhere unless your eating fast food. somewhere half way decent will be atleast 30,000W pp plus drinks (not cheap)
minimum wage in the uk is about 12,000W per hour, but actually most people make more in london even for shitty jobs, how much do the adjumars make?
Its true about the beef i was shocked how expensive it is even for the imported stuff, especially when i saw how they are kept all penned into a tiny area - at home they roam around in massive fields and get rotatated into different firelds each week. Although I wonder what steaks they baught I spend about 6,000W on a decent sized sirloin cut back in the UK I don't like rump but i guess u could get that for around 4000w, I make my own mince out of braising steak and spend about 4000w on that buying the same amount here would probably set me back 15-20,000w.
average house price in london is about 750MW which will probably only be a semi detatched with a small garden. but beats the shit out of an apartment |
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PeteJB
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:06 am Post subject: |
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Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
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safeblad
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
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Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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safeblad wrote: |
PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
For 6,000 won, you can travel on a bus trip that takes 1.5-2 hours from Seoul, well over 60 miles.
Seoul is all about finding the good deals. You don't have to eat dirty-spoon Korean food (though I do). You can get lots of deals for under 5,000 in Seoul. There are samgyeopsal houses for 3,000 a person! There are also some that are 15,000 a person. Look around, learn your neighborhood and if all else fails, cook for yourself.
You can travel in Seoul soooo cheap. 25,000 a night for a motel room! In the big city! You can't beat that, and I know there are no 13 pound motels in London (roughly the equivalent of 15,000 won). |
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ajgeddes

Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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Bibbitybop wrote: |
safeblad wrote: |
PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
For 6,000 won, you can travel on a bus trip that takes 1.5-2 hours from Seoul, well over 60 miles.
Seoul is all about finding the good deals. You don't have to eat dirty-spoon Korean food (though I do). You can get lots of deals for under 5,000 in Seoul. There are samgyeopsal houses for 3,000 a person! There are also some that are 15,000 a person. Look around, learn your neighborhood and if all else fails, cook for yourself.
You can travel in Seoul soooo cheap. 25,000 a night for a motel room! In the big city! You can't beat that, and I know there are no 13 pound motels in London (roughly the equivalent of 15,000 won). |
Samgyeopsal isn't a meal. Do you eat bacon for a meal at home? While tasty, I would hardly use it as a means to show how cheap food can be. It's mostly just fat, they should be paying you to eat it. This is like when people say you can get a gimbap for 2,000won. Sure you can, but it isn't a meal. |
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SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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It's meaningless without context. Average salaries in the south of England are over $60,000 and over $50,000 in the north. Per capita GDP in Korea is $18,392. With this in mind, it's Seoul that's the expensive one, with Western-style prices yet very modest average income.
Rent and property in London seem absolutely nuts to us, but if you're on over $100,000 per year as millions in London are, it's affordable. Rent and property are insane in London because London is full of millions of very wealthy people prepared to pay those prices. Were London suddenly to become full of old adjummas selling lettuce leaves, prices would be sure to come down. As it is, London is arguably the financial center of the world and if you're not on at least 50,000 GBP in London, you're a freakin' bum.
London v Seoul
Transport: Seoul wins
Housing: Seoul wins, but it's incredibly expensive from the perspective of a person earning per capita GDP.
Entertainment: Seoul is cheap but very tame. London is expensive yet probably in the world top 3. And again, if you're earning an average London salary, it's not indeed expensive.
Groceries: Grocery shopping in Seoul is appalling and expensive; grocery shopping in England is varied, interesting and inexpensive with upmarket shopping similarly priced to run-of-the-mill Emart shyte. Nowhere in London will you find a small box of cherries for $8 or 5 apples for $6. Korea is a rip-off and one must either be frugal or do privates to save significantly. |
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Ilsanman

Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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I spent this summer in London. I would have to say London is wayyyyy more expensive.
I wanted to get a fruit smoothie at Charing Cross, and it was like 4 pounds. 7,500 won. Eating lunch (simple food) was at least 5 pounds a person. Even a pre-packaged sandwich for takeout was about 3.50 or 4 pounds.
Just comparing a few items doesn't make Seoul more expensive. Even gas. I saw Seoul's prices of gas, and I didn't think they could be any higher. England sells gas for 95 p a litre. |
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Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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ajgeddes wrote: |
Bibbitybop wrote: |
safeblad wrote: |
PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
For 6,000 won, you can travel on a bus trip that takes 1.5-2 hours from Seoul, well over 60 miles.
Seoul is all about finding the good deals. You don't have to eat dirty-spoon Korean food (though I do). You can get lots of deals for under 5,000 in Seoul. There are samgyeopsal houses for 3,000 a person! There are also some that are 15,000 a person. Look around, learn your neighborhood and if all else fails, cook for yourself.
You can travel in Seoul soooo cheap. 25,000 a night for a motel room! In the big city! You can't beat that, and I know there are no 13 pound motels in London (roughly the equivalent of 15,000 won). |
Samgyeopsal isn't a meal. Do you eat bacon for a meal at home? While tasty, I would hardly use it as a means to show how cheap food can be. It's mostly just fat, they should be paying you to eat it. This is like when people say you can get a gimbap for 2,000won. Sure you can, but it isn't a meal. |
Bacon is part of a meal. Samgyeopsal meat is, too. It comes with lettuce, mushrooms, garlic, sauces, kimchee, other veggies and I also get soju and/or beer.
Samgyeopal is also more than bacon, it's much thicker and you usually eat more of it than bacon, plus it's grilled, not fried. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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ajgeddes wrote: |
Samgyeopsal isn't a meal. Do you eat bacon for a meal at home? While tasty, I would hardly use it as a means to show how cheap food can be. It's mostly just fat, they should be paying you to eat it. This is like when people say you can get a gimbap for 2,000won. Sure you can, but it isn't a meal. |
Amen! Preach it! |
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ajgeddes

Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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Bibbitybop wrote: |
ajgeddes wrote: |
Bibbitybop wrote: |
safeblad wrote: |
PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
For 6,000 won, you can travel on a bus trip that takes 1.5-2 hours from Seoul, well over 60 miles.
Seoul is all about finding the good deals. You don't have to eat dirty-spoon Korean food (though I do). You can get lots of deals for under 5,000 in Seoul. There are samgyeopsal houses for 3,000 a person! There are also some that are 15,000 a person. Look around, learn your neighborhood and if all else fails, cook for yourself.
You can travel in Seoul soooo cheap. 25,000 a night for a motel room! In the big city! You can't beat that, and I know there are no 13 pound motels in London (roughly the equivalent of 15,000 won). |
Samgyeopsal isn't a meal. Do you eat bacon for a meal at home? While tasty, I would hardly use it as a means to show how cheap food can be. It's mostly just fat, they should be paying you to eat it. This is like when people say you can get a gimbap for 2,000won. Sure you can, but it isn't a meal. |
Bacon is part of a meal. Samgyeopsal meat is, too. It comes with lettuce, mushrooms, garlic, sauces, kimchee, other veggies and I also get soju and/or beer.
Samgyeopal is also more than bacon, it's much thicker and you usually eat more of it than bacon, plus it's grilled, not fried. |
How thick it is doesn't change the fact that it is bacon, and about 75% fat. Getting beer or soju with it doesn't make it a meal. Even if I eat a 100 pieces of bacon and get full from it, it still isn't a real meal.
I like the stuff, but it isn't a meal and most people don't eat it unless they are drinking. |
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Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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ajgeddes wrote: |
Bibbitybop wrote: |
ajgeddes wrote: |
Bibbitybop wrote: |
safeblad wrote: |
PeteJB wrote: |
Nah. London is more expensive. So maybe your morning cornflakes cost more in Seoul but London KNOCKS THE CRAP out of your wallet.  |
yeah, having just been home for a month i agree. That said if you go for western food in Seoul, even if its just italian or something, the prices are pretty comparable.
Principally its transport that hits you hard.
price on the train from my town (60 miles to london) = aprox 45,000 won
bus to train station (3 miles) = 6000 won |
For 6,000 won, you can travel on a bus trip that takes 1.5-2 hours from Seoul, well over 60 miles.
Seoul is all about finding the good deals. You don't have to eat dirty-spoon Korean food (though I do). You can get lots of deals for under 5,000 in Seoul. There are samgyeopsal houses for 3,000 a person! There are also some that are 15,000 a person. Look around, learn your neighborhood and if all else fails, cook for yourself.
You can travel in Seoul soooo cheap. 25,000 a night for a motel room! In the big city! You can't beat that, and I know there are no 13 pound motels in London (roughly the equivalent of 15,000 won). |
Samgyeopsal isn't a meal. Do you eat bacon for a meal at home? While tasty, I would hardly use it as a means to show how cheap food can be. It's mostly just fat, they should be paying you to eat it. This is like when people say you can get a gimbap for 2,000won. Sure you can, but it isn't a meal. |
Bacon is part of a meal. Samgyeopsal meat is, too. It comes with lettuce, mushrooms, garlic, sauces, kimchee, other veggies and I also get soju and/or beer.
Samgyeopal is also more than bacon, it's much thicker and you usually eat more of it than bacon, plus it's grilled, not fried. |
How thick it is doesn't change the fact that it is bacon, and about 75% fat. Getting beer or soju with it doesn't make it a meal. Even if I eat a 100 pieces of bacon and get full from it, it still isn't a real meal.
I like the stuff, but it isn't a meal and most people don't eat it unless they are drinking. |
What about all the veggies and sides that come with it? That's like saying a chicken salad isn't a meal (a full salad, not a side salad). And beer is often a meal in itself! |
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