Korean Job Discussion Forums

jlb · Joined: 18 Sep 2003

It depends...do you have a job or not?

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

I arrived with 3,000 Won.

Imbroglio · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:20 am Post subject:

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

If you have a job lined up a thousand bucks is plenty. Two grand is more than you will need.

Phone card to call back home 10-20$ for 10+ hours.
Subway/bus card 12$ to get around Seoul.
Food...depends but about 250$ a month if you eat well.
Miscelaneous stuff for your apt. 200$
Going out and getting plastered............PRICELESS Laughing

skconqueror · Joined: 31 Jul 2005

Prince Frog · Joined: 03 Oct 2005

2000 should be plenty. I just finished my first month and coasted through at about 600 USD.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

You can get the phone cards in Itaewon near the KFC...there is a little desk where they sell cards.....almost any phone store in Itaewon sells the cards.....10$ got me 600 minutes.

They are also available in Songtan as well as throughout Korea in those Asian food marts.

lastat06513 · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject:

I came here with only $300 and got advanced $300 more from my first paycheck from my first job.

But I ate only Ramyun and kooksu and drank boiled water during my first month in-country.

To live well, especially if you don't have a job, I would say about $3500 is in the right ballpark.

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I was desperately broke when I came to Korea and had about $40 for the month. My employers gave me an advance. I don't recommend this, but if you have a job I wouldn't worry about huge amounts of money.

Ken:>

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

skconqueror · Joined: 31 Jul 2005

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

plattwaz · Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Location: <Write something dumb here>

Well considering that the average salary here is between 1.9 - 2.2 million a month then you shouldn't need any more than that, even for your first month -- if you can't survive on your 2.0million a month in your first month, then you'll have problems the whole year.

Obviously there are things you will need for your apt, but not all of them are necessary and can wait until the first paycheck -- the absolute necessities shouldn't cost more than 100,000won.

It might mean being tighter your first month than you normally would be, but not that you will starve.

(I arrived my first year with $1000 Cdn, at that time, worth about 1.2million, and the second time I came back with 800,000 - both times I was fine).

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

It's best to have at least enough money in a bank account in your home country that you can purchase a round-trip plane ticket in case of emergency.