Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Skarp]

Maybe this has been done already....

How much would you say free accomodation from the school is actually worth per month? All pros and cons considered.

Skarp

[FierceInvalid]

Welll it's obviously good cash-wise. I think my apartment would run me about 500,000 or so per month if I paid for it, not to mention the key money. That said, you don't get to choose your place, and there is a certain independence that goes along with having a place of your own no matter what happens.

I don't know a single person who has their own place that doesn't dig it, all things considered. (Although many of them get allowances - that would have to be the ideal situation I think).

[VanIslander]

By western standards, housing is usually a third of one's salary. If you make around 2 mill then put it at about 650,000. Every month.

If you're worried about privacy or interruptions, then you could get a hotel room sometimes instead; you could go every three days and still save money.

But then again, it's hard to put a price on independence.

[OiGirl]

Are we just shooting the breeze, as in,"what's it worth to YOU?" or are you doing your taxes?

[Squid]

I concur that you should, in theory anyways, pocket W500,000 per month- there or thereabouts. Plus you don't have to front-up key money.

I do urge you, however, to look carefully at your contract, as my experience has been that the larger schools tend to proviso you share the apartment, or charge you W200,000 per month if you don't want to.
Have a look at the "Freaky waygooks" thread for advice on that one.

Bear in mind too that you will pay utilities, sometimes in addition to a deposit for those over your first months of employment, and body corporate monies- that being stairwell and hall cleaning, security etc. and you'll probably pay a "Water charge", which is to empty the septic tank.

Hope this is useful.

Squid

[kimcheeking]

I had company housing my first year - it was good housing - 36 pyoung apartment but shared. I had a freaky waygook room-mate and decided to never have another room-mate again.

I've lived in 3.5pyoung ha-suks and was happier than I was sharing with the freaky roommates. Independance is worth whatever it costs you. I don't have to move when I change jobs and I don't have to worry about loser directers coming into my apartment when I am not home (happened at the first place)

[Skarp]

I want my own place with no room-mate or at worst one I've chosen. I am a pretty freaky person to live with too - so it cuts both ways.

My main query is - how much does it cost to rent a place near your job?

And how much does the school save by not arranging accommodation for you?

What's the cash value?

500 000 won plus key money?

Is it easy to find places with no key/low money?

Thanks for any further help.

Skarp

[desultude]

I have my own flat, its small, but private. It's modern- ondol heating, good plumbing and lighting. and a nice little balcony. Its really quiet- on the edge of campus, with a nice hiking trail right behind the building. But it is on campus. so it feels isolated at times. On the other hand, there is no commute- I teach in the building next door.

It is free, and the utilities are minimal. I save both rent and transportation money. And it is the best of both worlds room-mate wise- I know all of the neighbors, but if I close my door, I am alone in my own place.

I would say that it is worth at least $700-$800 U.S. a month- no rent, no commute., and dirt cheap utilities.

[steroidmaximus]

you can find rooms, or sublet apartments without keymoney. A room anywhere from 3.5 pyung to 12 pyung will run you about 150 to 500, depending on location. I had a 15 pyung studio last year and it cost me 450 a month. My school didn't give key money, just 300 a month for rent. After I got married, I broke the piggy bank and now I'm in a 23 pyung palace lol.

[Anda]

I stayed for two and a bit years in my own place in Kwangju that was costing me 300,000 won a month. Renting here is like back home in as much as the sky is the limit and Seoul being where the big money is has the most expensive rents.

Remember when you factor in rent to allow for tax. Free rent is what makes things here for a lot of us as the money isn't big these days.


Most appartment blocks charge a monthly service charge up around 4o to 6o thousand plus you then still have power and phone and so on costs, but once again it's the same back home.

[thegadfly]

If you are able to arrange your own housing, most schools will pay 200,000-450,000 housing allowance (well, my last school in Apkujeong, Seoul paid up to 450,000 housing allowance...dunno if other places go higher or not -- that was the highest I had heard), with around 300,000 housing allowance what I have commonly heard.

To stay in a koshiwon (the tiny single room "student hotels") was 280.000 won a month near the school....

I haven't actually rented my own place, but it isn't too tough to get single accomodations any more...not every place offers it up front, but if you have a little experience or a degree in English or education or some certifications...you could prolly negotiate for it....

[RedRob]

Last year I scored a sweet rooftop appt 2 mill down and 300000 a month. Small place but a lot of out side space for barbies etc, it's a good feeling to be independent of your school, there's nothing worse than a boss coming to visit you on a sick day just to make sure you are sick.

[weatherman]

I know it is only a technicality, but really our rent isn't free, we work for it. It is a part of the contract. I am happy I don't pay rent, but I have never seen it as free. Thing of it as something already taken out of your pay.

[eamo]

[thegadfly]

Actually, I think that the advertisements are MORE attractive by posting 2.2 plus rent rather than 2.7 minus rent -- since most of us are calculating the exchanges anyway, we will figure in our own expectations on rent. To have pretty much any kind of apartment in the states in a big city, you are going to run at least $500 a month in rent, which is closer to 600,000...so already 2.2 plus rent seems like 2.8...and if Japan is 2.8 MINUS rent, rent probably works out to be more than $500 a month...still looking better....

It is like the phone companies -- a confusopoly (props to Scott Adams). If they made it clearer, everyone would be able to comparison shop, and there would be effective price fixing. Currently there are so many variables that it is difficult to know just how good (or bad) a deal you have gotten....

For example -- how much of a difference would it make to you if you could peg your salary to your native currency -- for me the USD -- at the time you signed your contract. So, if my salary were set to $24,000 US (for ease of example calculations) and on my payday, I would be given the current exchange rate times 2000 (24k / 12 = 2000) in won...so my actual salary in WON would be variable, but the amount I send home would be more secure...would you take a slightly lower salary for that security? Would you rather have more and risk the market? What level of risk vs. reward are you willing to endure?

A lot of Uni jobs pay a lot less than even low-paying hakwans...they make it up in vacation time, usually...sure there are exceptions, but in general, the uni positions are relatively low pay...low contact and a lot of vacation, but not a lot of actual cash...so how much is your free time worth?

Personally, one of the things I LIKE about Korea is how you can pretty much make up a laundry list of what YOU want in a position, and if you are willing to look around and wait a little while, you can find it or something close to it...or if you just want to find a job quickly, you can usually do that, too....