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Is living in Seoul really that Expensive??
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sluggo832004



Joined: 04 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:27 am    Post subject: Is living in Seoul really that Expensive?? Reply with quote

I keep hearing about Seoul being very expensive to live and eat at.

Is this true? Or is it just slightly higher than the rest of the areas?
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Lorilou



Joined: 01 Sep 2009
Location: Osan

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's going to be a little more expensive, but a lot of it is relative. I lived in Incheon for a year. Yes, it was less expensive to eat out or buy groceries there, but there's also not as much to do in Incheon. The $$$ I spent going into seoul on the weekends (I'd have to pay for love motels since the subways close at 11pm) evened any savings out. Besides, as with anything, if you live a little frugally (don't go out every weekend, don't eat out every night, etc...), you'll still manage to save quite a bit.
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redaxe



Joined: 01 Dec 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's mostly the housing prices that make Seoul expensive to live in.

The prices of other goods and food are not that different across the country. But there are just more things in Seoul to spend your money on. There are high-end, expensive restaurants and lounges in Seoul where you can blow through hundreds of thousands in a night. But you don't have to go there.

Aside from housing costs, if you live a lifestyle in Seoul comparable to how you would live in a smaller city like Daejeon for example, you can probably save the same amount of money.
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AsiaESLbound



Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same as rest of country, except the import foods are very pricey in Korea of which are also the same cost regardless where you live, because you will get through Seoul. Also, city living will entice you with the convenience of having it all locally so you might go out and blow more money than if you live in a boring rural area where you'd spend nothing beyond basic food and bus fare to get to the city. Only reason Seoul would cost more is you have a lot more convenient amenities for living that do cost money. The pricing system is the same throughout the country unlike back home where big cities have higher prices on the same things small towns charge much less for.
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northway



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seoul has more stuff to do, and more Western food, and thus you have greater opportunity to spend money. Besides that, considering your rent is already paid for, I think the "Seoul is so expensive" meme is something recruiters push to get people into the provinces.
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allovertheplace



Joined: 02 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I often wondered about this myself. I actually took my second job outside of seoul for fear of spending too much. Whenever I would go into Seoul I knew Id drop 100k, thus Id only go once or twice a month.

Its a matter of lifestyle as others have said. Seoul isnt much more for similar products but you have so many more options. Where I would have spent so much is by eating out in Itawon 2-3 times a week instead of 2-3 times a month. My treat would have become my bread and butter.
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NYC_Gal 2.0



Joined: 10 Dec 2010

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lorilou wrote:
It's going to be a little more expensive, but a lot of it is relative. I lived in Incheon for a year. Yes, it was less expensive to eat out or buy groceries there, but there's also not as much to do in Incheon. The $$$ I spent going into seoul on the weekends (I'd have to pay for love motels since the subways close at 11pm) evened any savings out. Besides, as with anything, if you live a little frugally (don't go out every weekend, don't eat out every night, etc...), you'll still manage to save quite a bit.


That was silly. Jimjilbangs cost around 10,000 won, give or take. The one at Yongsan (the subway you'd take to get to Incheon from Seoul) costs 12,000 if you go late at night.
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toonchoon



Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Location: Gangnam

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes. transit and Korean food are cheap... and that's something we use/consume on a daily basis.

The thing is that in the USA, you can get stuff on SALE, where as in Korea, you won't be getting Adidas running shoes for $20 from the Adidas outlet store, or $15 Ralph Lauren jeans from the RL outlet store.

I just dropped $500 on clothes, shoes etc. I'll be bringing back to me in Korea, and if I was to buy these in Korea, I'd probably drop $3000+ ( I wouldn't, at that price).

Most everything imported into Korea is expensive, and that allows for Korean companies to keep their prices high as well.
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northway



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

toonchoon wrote:
yes. transit and Korean food are cheap... and that's something we use/consume on a daily basis.

The thing is that in the USA, you can get stuff on SALE, where as in Korea, you won't be getting Adidas running shoes for $20 from the Adidas outlet store, or $15 Ralph Lauren jeans from the RL outlet store.

I just dropped $500 on clothes, shoes etc. I'll be bringing back to me in Korea, and if I was to buy these in Korea, I'd probably drop $3000+ ( I wouldn't, at that price).

Most everything imported into Korea is expensive, and that allows for Korean companies to keep their prices high as well.


Eh, shopping here can be really affordable if you go to the big shopping centers at Namdaemun/Dongdaemun/Myeongdong, you're just not going to be getting the brands you're used to, and a lot of the stuff might not fit. It's ludicrously expensive in any mall you might find yourself in, however.
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BaldTeacher



Joined: 02 Feb 2010

PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I lived in Daejeon before and in Daejeon, there were foreign restaurants, department stores and areas for nightlife and drinking.

I'm wondering, in Seoul will I be able to find foreign food eateries or will I be limited to Korean food? In Daejeon there is a sizable foreign community, not just teachers but also students and other workers. Also, Daejeon has a few really nice department stores such as Galleria. Will Seoul have these as well, or is it mostly outdoor markets and that type of thing? Also, good nightlife is very important to me. Will Seoul have any good bars like Daejeon does?

I'm worried that since Daejeon hosted the Expo and has Science Town and has so many foreigners, I've become used to the amenities that go with the above things. If those amenities are lacking is Seoul, I'll be highly disappointed.

Also, I heard that there was an army base in Seoul for US GI's. Maybe if I have trouble getting foreign food I can buy some off them, yeah? Is there a password you have to say to them so they don't beat you up?
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redaxe



Joined: 01 Dec 2008

PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

^Seriously? You're wondering if Seoul has as much to offer as Daejeon does?

OK you're definitely not serious, lol
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chungbukdo



Joined: 22 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Is living in Seoul really that Expensive?? Reply with quote

sluggo832004 wrote:
I keep hearing about Seoul being very expensive to live and eat at.

Is this true? Or is it just slightly higher than the rest of the areas?


I live in the countryside, the real countryside, and stuff is about the same or even slightly more expensive than Seoul, except for apples which is our main agricultural product.

I lived in Seoul a year for college too. Got away fine on my $500 per month stipend. The only thing that is more expensive about Seoul is housing in my opinion (which was provided free to me).

If I were to move back to the city it would be Incheon though. Seems like everything there is 500 won less than in Seoul. And much cheaper than where I live in the countryside, in the least populated province of Korea.
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Koreadays



Joined: 20 May 2008

PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

seoul is very cheap.
cheaper than back home
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interestedinhanguk



Joined: 23 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seoul is so expensive.

It seems like I can't save any money after just buying the basics. The basics include drinking foreign liquor at bars, buying imported, out-of-season food, eating in foreign restaurants, late nights in Itaewon and Gangnam, buying beef (who wants to eat pork or chicken or fish??) and so on.
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marsavalanche



Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Location: where pretty lies perish

PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

interestedinhanguk wrote:
Seoul is so expensive.

It seems like I can't save any money after just buying the basics. The basics include drinking foreign liquor at bars, buying imported, out-of-season food, eating in foreign restaurants, late nights in Itaewon and Gangnam, buying beef (who wants to eat pork or chicken or fish??) and so on.


lol sounds like the typical newbie to Seoul
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