Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jumponit]

Like most people, I hope to save a lot of money while teaching in Korea. What are some realistic monthly budgets? I know theres so many factors, but hopefully with enough responses it can paint a pretty picture.

If its easier, break it down into categories. How much do you spend on bills (phone/utilities etc), food (do you cook at home or eat out most the time), going out (booze, bars, comment how often you go out), transportation. Try to leave travel expenses out (visiting other parts of korea/other countries)

To get the ball rolling, a friend told me they spend $150CAD (170,000 WON) a month at costco on food.[/b]

[Stalin84]

Unrelated: how much does it cost for a Costco membership in Yongsan? Your thread gave me an idea seeing as how I only have 150,000W to last me from now until the 10th of February.

[ttompatz]

[bbud656]

I haven't saved that much maybe 500 a month, but after my vacation I can afford to put more away. Like the other guys said, settling in, and figuring out stuff is going to cost a lot of start up money. Once you get a routine, it is easier to save. Once month I survived on something like 300,000 won, but it wasn't fun.

[jumponit]

all good responses so far, Thanks lets keep it going!

[fake_blood]

Bills
phone: 50,000
electricity: 6,000
water: 6,000
gas: ~40,000
cleaning fee: 25,000
internet: 34,000

Food
maybe ~50,000 in groceries a month? I don't eat much, and when I do, it's usually eating out (factored into the 'going out' costs) or I eat with relatives.

Transportation
about 50,000 a month to load up my t-money + miscellaneous cabbing a month for a bout 20,000?

Going Out
Lately I've been going out 1-2 times a week and I go out friday night, saturday-day+night, and usually sunday-day = about 100,000 a week.

to put it into perspective, my salary is 2.1

I like to shop too....so I have not saved all that much in my first four months XD

[cyui]

250,000 a month...banking the rest.

[bamboozler]

Save 5,000,000 a month.

Spend 1,700,000 a month.

Live like a king.

[bbud656]

I mean, saving money is great. But this is a life experience that you should enjoy. I don't want to think back and remember eating ramon and sitting on my laptop. I think that you can have a good time saving about half your check. Depends how bad you need to save. I worked while in school, so Im not facing crazy debt.

[iselynjenniep]

i live very comfortably on 900,000-1.2 million a month and send the rest home.
phone - 20,000 a month
utilties - water and gas are next to nothing, my electric bill can be 100,000-200,000 a month depending on how hot/cold it is (AC/heat usage)
internet and cable - 30,000 a month
food - i spend maybe 120,000 a month on groceries and maybe 30,000 a week eating out so 240,000 (that's a lot though, i eat at western restaurants and buy foreign food at the grocery store, if you eat mostly korean food it will be much cheaper)
transportation - about 60,000 a month for subway/bus (i do have to take a bus to and from work)
i don't go out to bars a lot, maybe once a week and i only spend 20,000, so the rest i spend on movies, day trips, shopping, etc.

[interestedinhanguk]

[northway]

[red_devil]

My total cost of living including rent, food, credit card bill, and utilities is around 2Mil. Not including partying though.

[bobbybigfoot]

150,000 on house bill, phone, internet
400,000 food and entertainment.
Bank the rest.

[jomiro]

i used to spent a million a month, including rent, utilities, dining out every day, occuring day trips and going partying two or three nights a week.