Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Qinella]

Before I came here, I had the impression that cost of living would be cheaper because of things people had said here at Dave's. Boy was I wrong about that. Here's a short list of things I notice that blow the "cheap cost of living" theory through the roof for me. (Prices compared to Florida and North Carolina, which were similar.)

- Biggest thing is electricity cost. Here, I run the a/c 12 hours a day and I'm gonna pay about $120. In the US, I can run it 24 hours a day, and it's central a/c, and the total bill would be about $80.

- Beef. The prices tend to be about 3x more expensive than US, possibly more.

- Electronics are much cheaper in the US. You'd be getting a bargain to find a DVD player in Korea for $80. In the US, you can get a regions-free one for $20.

- Gas is roughly 75% more expensive here.

- A 6-pack of crap "beer" costs about $8. I could buy a 6-pack of decent quality beer for cheaper than that in the US.

- Produce. I think we all know that fruit and some vegetable prices in Korea are out of this world. $1.25 for ONE orange? WTF is that? A bag of four potatoes costs $3-4? Huh? And quality? I tried to buy oranges and bananas the other day at E-Mart and gave up because all the oranges had holes in them and the bananas were already covered with black spots.

- $7 for a bottle of shampoo. Similar grade product back home: $3.

- I have a lurking feeling that $7 for a 5-pack of Dove soap is more than I paid in the US.

- Coffee is typically twice the price of US.



The only thing I've found to be consistently cheaper is cigarettes, by about $1 per pack. Taxis are probably cheaper, but I never used them in the US so I wouldn't know.

So I always wonder what people are talking about when they say that the cost of living in Korea is so cheap. What things am I missing? I just listed several of the major items that I consume. Beer, cigarettes, beef, fruit, electricity, gas ... it's all more expensive in Korea.

The thing that really boggles my mind is when people say beer prices in Korea are cheap. Is beer REALLY expensive in places other than southeast US or something?

Q.

[Maserial]

[VanIslander]

i'm amazed that anyone is surprised at paying more for trying to live like back home

i can eat korean food out in restaurants five days a week and still pay less than i used to on groceries for home cooking back in canada

general rule for living as an expat anywhere:
eat what the locals are eating and the costs will be low

even bulgogi, samgepsal, gamjatang, dukalbi and other such meat dishes are cheaper meals out than steak and KFC.

[caniff]

Its much more expensive here going out with white people, as I still regularly pick up the tab on a basis as I did in the States and over here its a rare few who feel compelled to do that.

I have student loans, too. Doesn't excuse those going out with people and being a cheapskate.

In my defense (if there is one), I didn't invite them. It was always a friend of a friend...

Anyway, anyone hungry?

[SPINOZA]

You're absolutely right, OP.

And I'm afraid it's hardly the sole instance of info on this board being complete sh*t.

Going out and getting hammered will set you back about the same (or more) than back home, but never less.

[OiGirl]

[crazylemongirl]

One of the perks of my job is that I get my gas and electricty paid for

The problem with the food here is that the food markets are based on the assumption that you are a family that eats the same thing morning, noon and night.

Also korean food is really expensive to make at home if you are living alone and very time consuming.

I go to costco and stock up on meat and fozen veggies and cereal which cuts my food bill down signficantly.

While food and booze might be more expensive, you have far more disposable income thanks to low tax and no rent.

[JongnoGuru]

[cruisemonkey]

How about the price of rice? It blew me away when I first arrived.

That being said, many things here are much less expensive than back home, and overall, the cost of living is significantly less.

[Gwangjuboy]

[Gwangjuboy]

[Dev]

Guys! You're forgetting about tips. Remember? Add another 15% at the restaurant and in a taxi. A few more dollars to the barber. $6 of tip money in an evening to the bar waitress. Money just flew out of my pocket back at home.

I love the post office here. Sending a letter or a parcel is half, sometimes even a third the cost of the same service in my country.

I also like the fact that if there's sales tax, it's already included in the price. Back home those 6 items you bought at Wal-Mart suddenly have another $6 added to the total 'cause of taxes.

I agree about the beer. We should be drinking better brew for the prices we're paying. Except for rice, which has a fixed price, you can often find most other things on sale.

[RACETRAITOR]

If you think it's bad here, move to Japan.

[just because]

Just a few ways to save from your list that I do...

- Biggest thing is electricity cost. Here, I run the a/c 12 hours a day and I'm gonna pay about $120. In the US, I can run it 24 hours a day, and it's central a/c, and the total bill would be about $80.
*Some thing is wrong with your bill. i run the air con a lot in summer as well and the most i have ever paid is about $40. Check into it...
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- Beef. The prices tend to be about 3x more expensive than US, possibly more.
*Yes, but chicken and pork are relatively cheap. Just substitiute it into your diet instead of beef.
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- Electronics are much cheaper in the US. You'd be getting a bargain to find a DVD player in Korea for $80. In the US, you can get a regions-free one for $20.
*Go to Yongsan or better yet wait until Hi-Mart(or similar) have a big sale and you can get some bargains. Just at Cosco last month was a DVD for 49 000 won.
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- Gas is roughly 75% more expensive here.
*Get an electric heater which cost about 40-50 000 won and let that run instead of your ondol. It works out a lot, lot cheaper than the gas.
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- A 6-pack of crap "beer" costs about $8. I could buy a 6-pack of decent quality beer for cheaper than that in the US.
*Got to homeplus, Emart and just buy a 24 pack(carton) and it works out cheaper.
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- Produce. I think we all know that fruit and some vegetable prices in Korea are out of this world. $1.25 for ONE orange? WTF is that? A bag of four potatoes costs $3-4? Huh? And quality? I tried to buy oranges and bananas the other day at E-Mart and gave up because all the oranges had holes in them and the bananas were already covered with black spots.
*Go to the 5 -day markets. Produce there is better priced and you can haggle and check it before you buy it. On Sunday I bought a huge box of Strawberries for 5 000 won. Absolute bagain and only 1 in a hundred had something wrong. All the produce you need is there and half the price of EMart,etc.
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- $7 for a bottle of shampoo. Similar grade product back home: $3.
*Yep, can't disagree here
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- Coffee is typically twice the price of US.
*Coffee is about the same but the quality here is craper..


Basically just live like the locals do. The markets are a pretty cool way to save money and I enjoy going to them...

[rothkowitz]

I'll rarely go to the pub these days as the beer is so watered down and i hate having to pay for anju which is unappetising and costs the same as what a decent meal should.

Postage is surprisingly cheaper and efficient,when things go missing I don't think its necessarily at this end.

But yeah,most things foreign are marked up quite a bit.Whether its due to import tax or just being hiked up cos its foreign I don't know.But hell,a 45.000 pair of Columbia socks takes the cake.

Stuff in Japan is devilishly expensive at times,but the quality is so good.Sure,there are $100 square watermelons in Shinjuku...you'd have to be a bit daft to buy one though.If I had the use of a company credit card though.......