Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bryan]

A lot of people on the forum say Seoul is more expensive than living in rural areas. Take away the fact that most people don't have to pay housing, is it really more expensive on an item by item comparison or is there just more variety and temptations available that cause people to spend more? Isn't transportation cheaper in Seoul than other areas?

[bogey666]

[Bryan]

[maddog]

It may be more expensive than rural areas, but IME it's no more expensive than any other major city in Korea. According to my K friends, some things are actually cheaper, imported goods being one example.

In all honesty, considering the transportation system, the abundance of supermarkets, and the fact the everything you're likely to need is never more than half an hour away, I'd say Seoul is pretty cheap. That is unless you're a party animal. If that's the case, you'll have no trouble pissing your salary up the wall.....as I once did.

MD

[Justin Hale]

Things are generally a couple of bucks cheaper in the provinces - perhaps generally 75% of Seoul prices.

The differences in prices aren't appreciable enough to favor, say, Daegu over Seoul. There's a difference, but it's tiny. Also, one should bear in mind there's no difference at all between grocery shopping in Korea and in North America and Europe (the latter earn 3x as much as Koreans). Korea is totally overpriced. Doesn't really matter where you are.

[PeterDragon]

The main thing that makes Seoul so expensive is the cost of rent, although honestly I think Seoul's designation as the second most expensive city in the world is simply bull****.

But teachers don't pay rent, generally. Seoul also has Costco, which no small cities in Korea have. And it has the most comprehensive and cheap public transportation system in SK. Entertainment and alcohol are a bit more expensive, but the smaller towns don't even HAVE entertainment venues, not for Waegs at least. In my town, for example, there's no movie theater*, and the handful of dance clubs refuse to let in foreigners, have signs posted at the door to that effect. There's one expat bar that's empty like 80% of the time. I dunno how they stay in business, but I like to think they're a money laundering front for the mob; it's a fun theory.

In short, Seoul is, if anything, slightly cheaper than a lot of the smaller cities, and the things that are more expensive are fairly optional--- you don't NEED to drink enough to get drunk when you go out; you don't NEED to go see Nanta or an Imax movie, and you can forgo those things anytime some other unexpected expense comes up.

In case anyone wonders where I'm coming from on this, I started out in Seoul and migrated to a cowtown**. If it weren't for the significant pay raise I took once I got out here, I would consider Seoul to be preferable financially.

*We had a theater above the Loteria, but a few years ago, some dude committed suicide there--- after hours, one assumes. In a fit of superstition, the theater was promptly closed down, and now no one will enter that space for any reason. The landlord gave up even trying to rent it out.

**Literally--- it's actually kind of jarring to see cow pastures in Korea, I'm told I'm at one of the few hubs of domestically produced beef.

[d-rail]

having lived for a year in rural gyeonggi-do and now in gangnam, i would say, yeah, definately more expensive in seoul (atleast in apgujeong). sure, it may be more convenient here as far as choices go (food, shopping), but many times it takes longer to get some type of specialty item because of traffic, especially if you have a car and need to drive. as for eating out, i find that prices are tyically 3-6,000 won more in my neighborhood. my salary is much much higher than it was in rural korea, but i find i am able to save about the same ammount

[d-rail]

having lived for a year in rural gyeonggi-do and now in gangnam, i would say, yeah, definately more expensive in seoul (atleast in apgujeong). sure, it may be more convenient here as far as choices go (food, shopping), but many times it takes longer to get some type of specialty item because of traffic, especially if you have a car and need to drive. as for eating out, i find that prices are tyically 3-6,000 won more in my neighborhood. my salary is much much higher than it was in rural korea, but i find i am able to save about the same ammount

[blurgalurgalurga]

Jamieson whiskey is cheaper in Seoul. That feculent vomit they call local beer is cheap as the piss it is, everywhere.
I dunno, man--what are you planning on buying? Tuna kimbaps are 2000 wide country wide. Small towns have maybe slightly cheaper prices for produce. If you want to dress Korean, everywhere's got a shijang where you can tart yourself up for thirty bucks. If you want import clothes, definitely Seoul is cheaper.
If you eat in foreign restaurants in Seoul, expect to pay a lot.
Electricity, water, and internet are pretty much the same, I think.
The big expenses are for stuff like rent and educating your spawn. If you're not doing those things you should be fine in Seoul.
Unless you're a boozehound skirt-chasing compulsive gambler, in which case you might consider a quiet life in a boring town.

[PeterDragon]

D rail--- good point about eating out. I almost never eat out myself, but for those whose schedule doesn't leave them time to properly cook a home meal, or for those who are socially required to eat out regularly, etc..., the price is definitely higher. The roll and noodle cafes may cost the same everywhere, but Korean barbecue, pork cutlet, everything else cost more in Seoul.

[aka Dave]

[jadarite]

I lived out in the country for 6 months. Now I am in Seoul. The prices aren't different, but you can get more variety (and more of the same) in the city. So, you end up paying more because you can try out different stuff. I found myself having to select the 1 of whatever that was at the stores in the country.

Shop around, don't buy the first thing cause there is sure to be something around the corner half the price which is just as good, if not better.

[icicle]

I was in Gyeonggi last year and am in Seoul this year. So far I have found that I am spending less in Seoul than I did last year. Where I am in Northern Seoul I have found that I am spending less on food than I did last year. While there is certainly a wider range of expensive "western" food options in Seoul there is also a much wider range of good value Korean restaurants which gives me many more cheap healthy food options than I had last year.

It does not suprise me that people living in the Gangnam area of Seoul are finding it more expensive than rural areas because that is one of the more expensive areas of Seoul - but the costs there are not universally the same in other areas of Seoul.

[poet13]

I think a lot depends on where you do your food shopping.
In my rural city/town, I go to market every few days. Veggies and fruit are pretty cheap.....especially if my son and pregnant wife are with me!
I don't know how available markets are in seoul, but I've never seen one in Itaewon....although I never looked either.
I think there are a lot of goods and services that are cheaper outside the big cities too.
Pants hemmed - 2000 won.
New zipper - 3000 won.
600 square meter garden. 150,000 a year. (Could rent it for 40 years and build a house on it.... )
Bicycle service - 2-5000 won.
Haircut (man) - 7000 won. My wife gets a trim for 10,000.

[JustJohn]

In regard to groceries and household items, I think Seoul is generally cheaper.

I live in a smallish town, and whenever I look at the prices of stuff in Seoul it's almost always cheaper. Street food for sure. Seems like most groceries and household items as well.