Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Vagabundo]

It can be done, you'll spend slightly more than 50K a week but not much more. I budget around 300K for the month for food and that's plenty enough, but I like to treat myself to Paris Baguette (way too expensive) and drink Pepsi Max (0 cals) like a fish.

Of course, I make my food at home.. buy 10 kilos of frozen chicken breasts off Gmarket, put those in my freezer, and then buy carrots and potatoes daily at my local grocery store. Easy as 1, 2, 3.

and still fairly cheap and easily the healthiest option around.

If I drank water and stayed away from PB, I think I could easily swing it for 50K a week.

[movybuf]

I would say I spend 60-70,000 a week on food and that covers my wife, baby and me. We almost never buy produce at HomePlus or E-Mart, it's way too expensive. We buy our non-perishable items there. We buy our produce at our local open market, and we keep our eyes on the prices. Some times prices will vary wildly even within a weeks time. We buy all of meats and cheese at Costco, portion it out and stick it in the freezer. Having a full-sized refrigerator helps us keep food stocked up.

[austinmc86]

[austinmc86]

I think Kimbap Cheonguk is the perfect place to eat. You get a good meal at a good price.


With that said, what does everyone usually get when they eat there?

I like jeyuk bokkeum, rabokki, kimchi jjigage, donkkaseu, kimbap and tuna kimbap.

[lonestarteacher]

[Slowmotion]

[Menino80]

Ojingeo deopbap. So nice

[chungbukdo]

[goniff]

this thread!

it made me chuckle (actually guffaw on some posts)

and yet shudder simultaneously

and we wonder why foreign english teachers have a bad image with koreans?

[Stalin84]

[austinmc86]

Yeah, Kimbap Cheonguk is awesome. For the price, it's hard to beat.

Sometimes they do give me just a little rice, while giving the Koreans there a lot of rice. I don't like that too much. Also, they sometimes stare at you while you eat... and when it's a group of people, and you're the only 1 in the restaurant, it's kind of creepy and makes me uncomfortable.

[austinmc86]

[Stalin84]

[allovertheplace]

Skimping on food makes no sense to me. The only time in my life I will skimp on food is if I CANT afford it.

People who skimp on everything here, never go out, and live terribly boring lives saved about 2 grand more than me at most after my first year. Oh well.

[4seasons]

50,000 for food a week is TOTALLY DOABLE without skimping.

I can possibly eat out for that amount, but I prefer to eat at home as I can eat better quality, more varied, have more control over the nutrition, portions etc, and I enjoy cooking. So, I suggest eating-in if you would like to keep it healthy.

Here are some suggestions:

Salmon at Costco works out to 2000 a serving.
Costco chicken is much cheaper and so is ground beef.
Cooked rotisserie chicken at Costco works out to about the same amount per serving.

Baked potatoes are easily about 2-400 won each. (Grocery stores).

Beans and other legumes are also about 300 won per serving. (Foreign Food market or one of the black market shops).

Large bins of peeled pumpkin, mixed greens, or alpha sprouts with about 10 servings each sell for under 5000 won. (Costco)

Eggs are 200 won per serving and so are tangerines, bananas, and lots of other fresh fruit and veggies which are IN SEASON!!! (Neighborhood farmer's markets). Frozen fruit and veggies (at Costco)are a good buy too. Oatmeal is expensive here, but a relatively affordable breakfast staple at 500 won per 1/2 cup serving (assuming the large canister costs 15,000).

Note, I have not yet mentioned pasta, bread or rice which can been used for filler, but which I do not enjoy.

Good luck and healthy eating!!!