Korean Job Discussion Forums

[corporate]

If the school pays for my key deposit and allowance of only 400k, will this be enough to pay for my room/studio/officetell anywhere in seoul? or will it be a hassle? dam big schools like ybm make you do the work yourself, should i just get aschool tofind it for me?

[marisha]

I was wondering the same thing. I've been offered a few jobs that provide housing and I get paid 1.8mill and I just got another offer that pays 2.5 mill with 100k allowance and 5mill key money. I'll be living in Seoul so I don't know what to expect in terms of costs and it seems easier to just take the housing provided by the school. any extra income seems like it'll be eaten by bills anyway.

[pkang0202]

You better get an exact amount of the Deposit your school will put down.

On housing that takes monthly rent, they usually lower rent if you put down a larger deposit.

You can find a decent 1 room for around:

5,000,000w deposit
500,000w rent

10,000,000w deposit
400,000w rent


Also, it depends on the type of room. If you get a rooftop room, its going to be cheap. However, its a glorified Cargo Container with wall paper and a toilet.

OfficeTels (in the big 10-20 floor buildings) are generally nice but more expensive.

One-room villas are hit or miss depending on how old the building is. I've seen some AWESOME one-rooms before.

You want to avoid rooms below ground level.

[jadarite]

I have done the one-room villa a couple times. The first one was old and had a major ant problem. The other one is new and I am fighting off mosquitos, but it is new and a lot nicer. Try to get a newer one, before the ants invade.

[Draz]

[Suwon23]

My apartment is in Suwon... nowhere near the station. It's the size of a book of matches, has no oven or furniture besides a bed, lacks even a separation between shower and laundry facilities, and is off the main road. It costs 350,000/month. Based on that meager amount of data, I would be surprised if 400,000 were enough to rent a cardboard box in Seoul.

However, if you are able to find something for that price, I do hope everyone on this site will shut up about Korea being "expensive." In Atlanta, a city renowned for being cheap (in every sense), a typical one bedroom costs $500-700.

[jellobean]

If you stick to the poorer areas of Seoul you can easily get a smallish apartment for 5mil and 400/month. You'll probably have to go with an older one so you might occasionally get smells from the drain, but nothing insence won't cover. Eastern Seoul north of the river is usually pretty cheap, especially if you look a 5-10 minute bus ride from the subway. Check out what major (blue) buses go by your school and then see where they come from, then it won't matter if you aren't near a subway.

And for all you folks with ant problems, I have one word for you:
EXTERMINATOR!
For about 140,000 won you can get fumigated with a 6 month guarantee.

[marisha]

[Draz]

[Hae Jok Nim]

It all varies, but generally the more deposit you pay, the less the rent is..I payed 10 million Won deposit , but got a nice place in Gangnam, with two rooms...schools / hagwons should offer around 500,000 per month for rent....I pay 900,000 per month rent...so 300,000 is out of pocket....

[jellobean]

[broken76]

It really depends on what you're looking for and in what area. Honestly housing in Seoul for teachers generally sucks. Whether it is provided or the teacher gets it themselves.
What area of Seoul are you going to be in? Are you willing to commute? Are you really going to just use the housing allowance or are you willing to use some of your salary as well? Generally housing allowance is less than what schools pay for housing.
I lived in the Gangnam are but moved to Bundang. My rent is the same but my place is about 3 times the size and much nicer in general.

[jellobean]

Quality of housing is an issue no matter what you choose. I've rarely seen a teacher who was given very nice housing and I've never seen someone get very housing on a housing allowance, although couples can pull it off if they combine (and get a one room or studio).

[venus envy]

[Ukon]

Unless your in the public schools in seoul, don't settle for 1.8 mill....that's embarrasing...I was getting offers for 2.2 and 2.3 easily when I started looking my first time.....