Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Seoul Second Most Expensive City
Seoul has become the second most expensive city in the world this year, due mainly to the won�s strength against the U.S. dollar over the past year, according to a study released Monday. It ranked fifth last year. Seoul has also emerged as the most expensive city in Asia, surpassing Tokyo and Hong Kong, which ranked third and fourth, respectively.

Mercer Human Resource Consulting looked at 144 cities around the world in March, measuring the comparative cost of more than 200 items, including housing, transportation and food.
By Lee Hyo-sik, Korea Times (June 26, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200606/kt2006062617040268040.htm

Image URL:
http://photo.hankooki.com/newsphoto/2006/06/26/kt2200606261758240s.jpg

[Guri Guy]

Less and less reasons not to go to Japan.
Yeah, it seems prices seem to be going up every year. People are even saying Korea is pricing itself out of the market for manufactoring. Their standard of living is going up so wages are going up. It is becoming much cheaper to make things elsewhere like in China or India or Vietnam. Could be a downward spiral if Korea doesn't handle it right.

[Zark]

But . . . why live in Seoul? I spent three great years in Chungju. Great and active expat community, 90 minutes to Seoul for weekend fun - but living away from the city meant a much lower cost of living, no traffic problems, easy social life - and a BETTER job.

[Mashimaro]

[Zark]

Twenty weeks paid vacation - average W3 million per month, four-day twelve-hour work week . . . nice university position . . . Saved a bundle.

Why not?

I guess you would turn it down - but I couldn't!

[Real Reality]

[Real Reality]

schlitterbahn,

Sometimes things are already posted. You may just need to scroll down.
:)

[schlitterbahn]

Real Reality,

Sorry to repeat...didn't see your post. I'm at work so I've got to read quick before I'm caught screwing around.

[Real Reality]

schlitterbahn,
That is okay.

Princess wrote (under schlitterbahn's post),

[milf]

if that's the case, Koreans are 2nd most highest paid judging from how the malls/restaurants are packed, fancy cars and boutiques are everywhere.

[Ilsanman]

These statistics barely matter to us.

There is no way Seoul is more expensive to live in for me than even the cheapest place in Canada.

However, if I bought property and had a car, I could agree with these stats.

[Real Reality]

Koreans Pay More for Designer Goods Than Other Asians
Korean consumers pay the highest price for expensive designer goods in Asia except Japan, a survey by the Chosun Ilbo and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency finds. Thus the same Chanel 2.55 bag costs W2.77 million in Korea, W2.42 million in Taiwan, W2.52 million in Singapore, W2.75 million in Thailand and W2.82 million in Japan.

Chanel says the reason is higher tariffs and sales tax. Korea imposes an 8 percent tariff on designer bags. But while Singapore has no tariff on designer bags, Thailand has a whopping 40 percent tariff. Yet consumers in Thailand still paid less for the same bag. In Taiwan, the tariff is 6.6 percent... Staff with designer brands say the more expensive the bags the better they sell here.... Prada Korea says its prices include the exchange rate, tariffs, domestic taxes and logistics costs.
Chosun Ilbo (December 22, 2006)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200612/200612220023.html