Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keepongoing]

http://www.aneki.com/expensive.html

it list South Korea right below Japan as the second most expensive country to live in

[SPINOZA]

It's bo11ocks that.

[Newbie]

It's bo11ocks if you are a teacher and don't pay for rent/key money.

But having land is quite expensive.

Food, entertainment, transportation, dirt cheap. Things we don't deal with are rather expensive.

[SPINOZA]

You're right I suppose.

However, there's just no effin' way Korea is more expensive than England in terms of property prices, er, etc etc. I just refuse to believe it.

[Newbie]

That entire list looks a bit messed up...

Russia #3. That seems odd to me. Granted, I am quite ignorant on the matter though.

[itaewonguy]

[thepeel]

I think it is likely close to accurate, but flawed.

Grocery stores in Korea are outrageously expensive. Fruit, veggies, grains and just about everything else is waaayyy overpriced. Rice is, on average, 5x the price of other nations. You can thank Korean mercantilism for this.

Land is very expensive, and speculation rampant. The city was not planned efficiently, which has lead to a misuse of land and the NK threat has caused rational property owners to tend south of the Han, to avoid the demolition of bridges should an invasion happen.

I think for us, it can seem cheap. We eat cheapish, low quality "food". Smokes are cheaper. Beer is comparable, as are some utilities. But this largest reason we may not understand the cost is that most of us get free housing.

But, I doubt Korea is #2, but I can't think of another place that would be comparable.

[ajgeddes]

I agree with what is being said.

At the same time, that website has a lot of errors. Check out the statistics from GDP per capita for the USA and Canada, then click on the North American sections and the numbers are not even close. I think there could be a lot more mistakes as well.

[SPINOZA]

[khyber]

proof that any retard can set up an "official" :roll: looking website and suck people into thinking that what they have to say is worth anyone's time.

[itaewonguy]

[Swiss James]

Itaewon guy, I'm not disputing your figures because I've never looked into it, but I know a few people who I work with that either have or are about to buy a second property for investment.

These people aren't the super-elite-rich they're just middle class 9-5 type people. If they're in on this rental inflation conspiracy they haven't told me so- but then I suppose they wouldn't would they, the slave driving despots.

[VanIslander]

Korea is insanely cheap. But I don't live in Seoul.

Even fruit. Mandarin oranges, strawberries and bananas are a fraction of the cost back home. Vegetables too if one is selective. Those things that cost more usually have easily substitutable options for one's diet.

And yeah, housing is expensive for those who pay for it and takes up a third of one's salary, on average, back home, and who knows what percentage here.

Having been to Japan three times, I find the comparison very misleading.

I can find an alright hotel in Seoul for 40,000 won. It's almost ten times that price for something comparable in Osaka. Taxis are five to eight times more expensive in Japan. And food two to five times more expensive in restaurants.

But that's as a tourist not "living" in the place. Still...

"Korea is an expensive place" is VERY misleading... absurd compared to Canada, Japan, New Zealand, etc.

[RACETRAITOR]

Obviously whoever made this survey has never been to another country. As already said, the only thing outstandingly expensive here is rent/land. Everything else is insanely cheap. Transportation, food, clothes, and so on. Everything but key money basically.

[harryh]

Worst country for gender equality:

Egypt
Turkey
Pakistan
Jordan
South Korea