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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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 Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:40 am Post subject: Seoul Govt set this years Minimum cost of living |
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http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/08/26/200908260049.asp
Wow I can't believe they think a one person family could live on 504,344 Won a month! Without rent, sure, but I'm pretty sure they must be including rent as a living expense. That would be near impossible...
What do you think? |
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WendyRose
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
Location: hanam-si, seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| It's low, sure, but I think that most Korean's cook in their homes. Ingredients for Korean food are really cheap. I think it's doable, but that's definitely pushing it. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:59 am Post subject: |
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When you get down to minimum cost of living, not including rent its just fine.
Minimum cost of living doesn't include a luxurious apartment, a cell phone, internet, TV, etc
In a small jeonse for 1 person, you wouldn't expect to see aircon. Utilities would be low, and you can eat cheap if you try.
I would expect in a small place like that with no extras, your utilities would be around 50,000W a month. If you work near where you live, you probably don't need transit, but a 2 way trip 6 times a week is around 40,000.
That leaves over 400,000 for 1 person to eat on. If you're poor and not eating steak every night its perfectly doable. I can have a chicken stir fry every night of the week for around 15,000-17,000W for the week.
I think even if I was paying 200,000 rent, I could do that if I had to. |
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E_athlete
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Location: Korea sparkling
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:02 am Post subject: |
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you can sleep at a video bang or those all night bath houses for pretty cheap. I think it's more than enough if you take out rent from the equation.
I think bath houses are 6000 won? that's 180000 won for a place to sleep
You can survive easily with 2 meals a day at 2000 won so 120000 won a month
I can theoretically only spend 300000 won and still have 200000 won in change. |
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Daegudavid
Joined: 08 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| Hell yeah, without rent that's alright... For one person. |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:18 am Post subject: |
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| I suppose these things are possible, but I don't think life would be much fun. Mind you, I'm guessing the people who spend so little probably do so because they have to. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:32 am Post subject: |
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| cdninkorea wrote: |
| I suppose these things are possible, but I don't think life would be much fun. Mind you, I'm guessing the people who spend so little probably do so because they have to. |
You seem to be having issues grasping the concept of "minimum living standard" |
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tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Knowing what I know about REAL Korean families, I'd say it's definitely doable.
A lot of them consider a meal to consist of only a variety of kimchis and rice... |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| crossmr wrote: |
| cdninkorea wrote: |
| I suppose these things are possible, but I don't think life would be much fun. Mind you, I'm guessing the people who spend so little probably do so because they have to. |
You seem to be having issues grasping the concept of "minimum living standard" |
Oh, I do. Please educate me, O Wise One.  |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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| cdninkorea wrote: |
| Educate me, O Wise One. |
The minimum standard of living doesn't include luxury items, so of course it wouldn't be fun. Why would you expect it to be fun? |
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samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| it would seem we have an English teacher who doesn't understand English, ie below the minimum you'd die or be sick or freeze or something. |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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With Koreans, its compeltely doable.
Anyone who has visited a Korean person's home in America knows that the Korean father does not believe in using Heat, AC, or even Cable TV. |
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roadwork
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Location: Goin' up the country
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
With Koreans, its compeltely doable.
Anyone who has visited a Korean person's home in America knows that the Korean father does not believe in using Heat, AC, or even Cable TV. |
That's not just for Koreans though. In the winter in my home, we always had to dress warmer in the winter because of no heat, unless we had a fire in the fireplace. Instead of AC we had energy efficient ceiling fans and no cable, just standard channels. |
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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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I still don't think you can take rent out f the equation though!
It is THE MAJOR living expense lol.
Where can you dind an apt for 200,000 a week as someone mentioned above? And what about key money or jeonse? Where does this money magically appear from....?
Sure if rent was only 200,000 I COULD survive on the remaining 300,000.
But I'm not sure there are places that cheap where you wouldn;t have to pay eky money. And if you read the rest of the article you will see there are figures for famillies, well a familly isn't going to be living in a dvd bahng or bathouse... |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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| DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP wrote: |
I still don't think you can take rent out f the equation though!
It is THE MAJOR living expense lol.
Where can you dind an apt for 200,000 a week as someone mentioned above? And what about key money or jeonse? Where does this money magically appear from....?
Sure if rent was only 200,000 I COULD survive on the remaining 300,000.
But I'm not sure there are places that cheap where you wouldn;t have to pay eky money. And if you read the rest of the article you will see there are figures for famillies, well a familly isn't going to be living in a dvd bahng or bathouse... |
You can find craphole 1 rooms for 200,000, again minimum standard of living. I've seen some ads around here for 300/20 1 rooms. I really wouldn't want to go look at them. Rent might be the major cost of living n North America, but Korea works on a different rental scheme. it isn't always the major cost here.
As for the jeonse, a lot of koreans borrow money from family. With a jeonse you don't have any monthly rent expense. it is why you meet so many koreans who don't seem to have a job, but don't live at home and seem fine. While they borrow the money it isn't "spent" because they get it back. Someone who has a few bucks tied up in a small jeaonse can live very cheap. Now if you're freshly homeless and completely broke you'll probably have to go live in a jimjilbang or something until you save up for a 1 room.
Family of 4, once again, minimum standards of living. Having just wathced 해운대 you could see the grandmother, father and son all sharing a bed (well floor mat)
A family of 4 in korea doesn't all need separate bedrooms. a 1 room would be more than sufficient and if we're talking minimum standard of living, they could easily cover that cost in the amount of money they're talking + food. |
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