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Is South Korea Expensive And How Much Do You Need?

Jason Park
Published by: Jason Park
Last updated:

No, South Korea isn’t that expensive if you look at some other countries. The average living expense for one person is around 650,000 KRW ( 565 USD) per month.

South Korea is one of the best countries to live in. It’s safe, and the nightlife in South Korea is amazing; people in Korea are living their best life while also keeping a steady work-life balance.

Keep in mind that living in South Korea is relatively low if you keep everything within a tight budget.

This excludes rent because you can pay rent once a year or every month, depending on your preference. 

Many people in South Korea work really hard and are paid well due to the stable currency. The country is also known to be very clean and healthy.

So, if you are looking for a country to ever visit in your holidays. South Korea is a great option; there are many things to enjoy, and the food is amazing. 

How Much Do You Need To Visit or Live In South Korea?

If you’re wondering how much you need to stay a couple of days, weeks, or months in Korea. Here down below, we’ve made a list to help you out.

This is just a quick calculation, and some people spend more while others spend less. It’s really up to you how much you’re going to spend when going to South Korea.

Tourist in Seoul

1 Day113,000 KRW (100 USD)
1 Week795,000 KRW (700 USD)
2 Weeks1,350,000 KRW (1,200 USD)
1 Month2,500,000 KRW (2,200 USD)
3 Months7,500,000 KRW (6,600 USD)
6 Months15,000,000 KRW (13,200 USD)
12 Months30,000,000 KRW (26,400 USD)

Average Salary In South Korea

The average annual salary in Seoul is around 37,000,000 KRW, which is around (33,000 USD). If you look at it every month, it comes down to around 3,000,000 KRW, which is around (2750 USD).

That’s a pretty good amount to live from, considering that you don’t have any huge expenses other than rent.

You can live pretty comfortably with this salary. It’s definitely possible to go eat out every week and do some fun activities after work.

Most people with an average salary have a normal day job and don’t have any special things.

Keep in mind that universities in Korea are very competitive. So, if you want to get a good job, you have to study very hard from the beginning. Some people take years before actually graduating and finding a steady job.

What Is A Comfortable Salary In South Korea

This really depends on your current situation and what kind of salary you’re looking for. Generally speaking, for most people, it’s twice the average annual salary. That’s 72,000,000 KRW, which is around (66,000 USD)

With this salary, you can easily pay all the bills while also going on vacation in the summer and winter.

A lot of times, people want a good-paying job while also having fun at the same time. At the end of the day, that’s what 99% of the people want.

They want to be happy, and with a comfortable salary, it will make your life easier. You don’t want to struggle to pay the bills and food.

So, make sure to get a high paying job while you’re still young. When you get older, these things will get much harder, and you’ll definitely regret it.

What Are High Paying Jobs In South Korea

Cherry Blossom South Korea

High paying jobs in South Korea aren’t really hard to find. You just have to study really hard and hope you get invited to the job. Try to get a high GPA while you’re still studying.

This will really help you later on in life when looking for a job. Here below are some high paying jobs in no particular order.

Doctor

Annual Salary: 110,000,000 KRW (97,000 USD)

Becoming a doctor is pretty hard; it takes years of studying while also keeping a work-life balance. So, if you are looking to become a doctor. Don’t do it for the money, do it because you actually like the job. That’s the most important tip to keep in mind.

Physician

Annual Salary: 110,000,000 KRW (97,000 USD)

Physicians are one of the best-paid jobs in Korea, and it does take a lot of time to get this job. However, once you have a stable job, you can really enjoy your life. It might be hard sometimes when you’re overworking or going through a tough period, in the end, it’s all worth it.

Lawyer

Annual Salary: 70,000,000 KRW (62,000 USD)

A lawyer is a highly respected job in Korea. Once people know that you’re a lawyer, they will have lots of respect for you. It has a high social status, and it also pays very well. However, there’s a lot of competition being a lawyer, so you have to stand out to get a good job.

Judge

Annual Salary: 50,000,000 KRW (44,000 USD)

Judges are often looked at as regular jobs in Korea. It’s like a normal office job and almost has the same salary. It might be a little higher than other jobs, but at the end of the day, it’s really your own choice. You want to have fun while working. Otherwise, you’ll be very desperate.

Idol

Annual Salary: 49,000,000 KRW (43,000 USD)

Idols are extremely popular because of their talent. K-pop is becoming more and more popular these days because of the whole Korean wave that comes over. Idols go to very tough training for many years before actually debuting. However, once they have paid off the debt they own to the company, it will start to pay very well.

Most Expensive Areas In South Korea

Cities like Seoul and Busan are more expensive than others. This is because those cities are the main reason why tourists go to Korea. It’s also because of the young generation that lives there. The nightlife in Korea is really beautiful. 

Most other countries around the world don’t have such great nightlife as South Korea. This might be one of the reasons why you should visit Korea.

Another plus is that they have delicious street food there. It’s cheap and affordable for everyone.

Suppose you want to go to South Korea when it’s less busy with tourists. It’s highly recommended to go in the spring. Visit the Spring Cherry Blossom Festival, it’s really beautiful, and a lot of tourists don’t really know about this.

If you’re looking to becoming a doctor which is quite a good-paying job in Korea. Find out how much doctors make in Korea.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve come to the end of the article, you might be wondering how expensive is South Korea and how much you actually need.

Well, the annual salary is around 37,000,000 KRW, which is (33,000 USD). This will be enough to live a comfortable life.

How much you’re going to spend really depends on your current situation. Some people spend a lot while going to another country while others only want some accommodation and walk around the city. Make sure to have a budget went traveling to a country.

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    About The Author

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    Jason Park

    Jason has been living in Seoul for over 4 years, and during that time, he has experienced many of the city's hidden stores. He loves to write about his experiences and share them with others. Jason has been quoted and referenced by different major media companies like Mashed, Distractify, ThePrint and TastingTable. In his free time, he likes to watch Korean dramas and learn more about Korean culture.

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