Cost of Living in Seoul, South Korea (And How Much to Enjoy Life in Seoul!) – Page 3 – Seoulistic

Cost of Enjoying Life in Seoul

Partying in Seoul

You’ll definitely love the nightlife in Seoul, which is typically the reason some visitors find it so hard to leave. Many bars, pubs, clubs and all sorts of venues typically stay open till 4 or 5 am. Drink prices are very reasonable unless you’re in an upscale area. A mug of Korean draft beer will run about 3,000 won with pitchers available for about 15,000. Shots can be had for quite cheap as well (starting at 5,000 won), and there are many all you can drink cocktail bars in Gangnam for a mere 15,000 won. Considering that Korean liquor aka soju costs only a little more than 1,000 won, it’s no surprise that the streets tend to be littered with smashed businessmen and younger people alike. For you clubbers, the average entrance fee for a smaller venue is about 10,000 won and includes a free drink. If you want to bust out that new fashionable ensemble, check out the Cheongdam and Sinsa areas where fees are upped to 30,000 won for entry but obviously feature world class facilities and a lively crowd. If you’ve got a big party coming up, private buses are also available, and a 40 seater bus runs around 750,000 won.

If you’re looking for cheap drinks, take a look at this list of All You Can Drink Bars in Seoul!

Short Trips Out of Seoul

Jeju Island (Source: Flickr)

Jeju Island (Source: Flickr)

Transportation

Taking a limousine bus to a beach or popular areas in Gangwondo can run from 18,000 won and up. And of course there are buses to further cities like Gwangju, Daegu, Jeonju that have buses ranging from in the 20,000 won to 30,000 won range. There is also the KTX bullet train, which can get you to Korea’s second biggest city, Busan, for 57,300 won. Not bad considering the roughly 2 1/2 hour ride you’ll be taking on a comfortable seat. Also, flights to Jeju Island can be had for as cheap as 35,000 won with specials. But average prices are about 65,000 won for flights departing from the Seoul area (Gimpo Airport).


Click out our post: How to Travel Korea by Train!

Source: Naver Blog

Source: Naver Blog

Accommodations

Accommodations are also priced reasonably, with motels available for as low as 30,000 won a night in some areas. Just be careful you don’t end up in a love motel or your trip could quickly get awkward. If you wanted, you can rent entire “pensions” (aka condos or vacation homes) for you and your family or a group of friends. An average four to six person pension will cost between 110,000 won and 170,000 won, depending on peak seasons and days. Keep in mind, many Koreans sleep on the floor, so some options won’t have beds. An alternative is to stay at one of the tons of jjimjilbangs (찜질방) in Korea, which are public bathhouses with large facilities for entertainment, food, and of course floors to sleep on. These typically run for a 10,000 won per overnight stay, and Yongsan’s Dragon Hill Spa in particular is a great location to check out for 12,000 won. It has several floors where visitors can play games, eat, relax outside, or read comics.

If you’re traveling, here’s Where to Stay in Seoul for Less than $50 USD a Night!

Source: Naver News

Source: Naver News

Cost of Shopping in Seoul

Gmarket is very popular for savvy Korean internet shoppers. For example, a pair of Converses run a mere 30,000 won on Gmarket. Clothes can be had for cheap at Dongdaemun if you know how to bargain. T-shirts typically start at about 10,000 won with a diverse selection. A nice blazer or jacket can be had for less than 100,000 won and custom made ones for even 300,000 won, so you can definitely get clothes for reasonable prices out here. Also, global designers like Zara and H&M have similar prices around the world. But for ultra high end shoppers looking to pay extra for quality and names, be sure you know of the added 18% tax on “luxury goods.”

Entertainment in Korea

11 Entertainment options in Korea have very reasonable prices for most people. Karaoke rooms (noraebang) can start at about 10,000 won per room (depending on size and peak/off peak hours). Professional sporting events have cheap tickets as well and can be bought for under 10,000 won per ticket. Movies start at 6,000 won for smaller theaters, with higher prices for better sound systems or even specialty theaters.

See our list of Unique Movie Theaters in Seoul, which includes 3D, 4D, couple seats, private chefs, etc..

Source: Flickr

Source: Flickr

Sports/Exercise

Unfortunately, gyms in Korea can be quite expensive. Well, at least compared to countries where membership fees run a mere $30-40. The average gym in Korea typically costs at least 50,000 won a month and can go over 100,000 for a fully decked out facility. Membership at boxing clubs are usually around 100,000 won per month if you sign up for a multiple month commitment. For indoor basketball and other sports, there are facilities that can be rented out. If you have enough people, it usually costs about 5,000 won an hour or so per person. Tip: If you sign up for multiple months, prices are cheaper.

 

Generally, Korea is an affordable country to live in as there is a wide range of prices that can accommodate all different types of budgets.

DanielKang
DanielKang
Daniel Kang is a Korean-American from Los Angeles, California and currently enjoys living in Seoul. He is a diehard Laker fan and loves playing basketball, poker, and hanging out at the beach. Daniel is a passionate writer and has compiled pieces for Groove Korea and 10 Magazine. Check out his Lakers blog at lakerlinanalysis

25 Comments

  1. Carla says:

    Hi Daniel. I really liked all the information you gave. It was all that I was searching for.
    안녕히계세요 ^^

  2. Joseph says:

    2,000 won per gram for samgyeopsal seems a bit much… 😛

    But I’m thankful for this article, and I want to move to Korea!

  3. Sam says:

    You’re right! Fruit is so expensive. A small handful of blueberries sold for $20 at Lotte.
    …Which is why you shouldn’t buy fruit at department stores…

  4. makaiya says:

    Since I’m a chef speacializing in traditional sushi, where would a good place for me too live and work? But this is great news! 나는 한국 을사랑합니다.

  5. Kai Lee says:

    Thanks for this. I’ll be moving to Korea soon and this article is very helpful! Bookmarking for future reference 🙂

  6. Ben Fallon says:

    Samgyupsal is pork last time I checked, not beef!

  7. Nancie says:

    I agree that eating traditional Korean food can be quite cheap when you’re eating in the small local restaurants. However, things like barbecue and fish (I’m thinking raw) can be very expensive. Purchasing food from a regular grocery store like Emart or Homeplus is also expensive, and it isn’t only the fruit. Vegetables are also way up there in price. To buy food at relatively cheap prices you have to be prepared to visit the local traditional markets. They can be a lot of fun. However, in the cold of winter I’m not prepared to take a bus and subway to get to the market. People should realize that living in Korea is probably cheaper than some western countries, but not that much cheaper.

  8. Abigail says:

    Is water usage not charged in Korea? Or is it included in heating/cooling bills? I’m thinking of moving to Korea and am collecting some basic information on Korean lifestyle 🙂 Thank you seoulistic.com for all these handy and interesting information!

  9. Adnan Farooq says:

    Hello Thanks for sharing useful information..

    I heard about the concept of using electricity at night hours till early morning which is less expensive.. Is it true?? IF it’s true then please tell us about that in detail..
    Thank you

  10. Ma Najieb says:

    Roughly if we sum it up, how much will I spent in a month?

    Please help. I need to know what will I get with 3 mil Won salary /month.

  11. Accisia says:

    OMG, the housings are so expensive >.<

    • Paul says:

      I am from USA. For me, Korean housing is cheaper.
      It also depends on location and quality of the house (new or older). Also, a unit from a 25 story apartment units are more expensive than a unit from a 3-4 story villas.

  12. miya says:

    damn Koreans have higher monthly salary that’s the reason why it’s expensive I guess.

  13. Hannah says:

    hey
    is the deposit paid back after you move out? thanks

  14. Gina & JOe Rosa says:

    My son/ daughter in law have been living in S Korea for 2 years and are shocked at the high cost of everything, watermelon is 2 or 3 times the cost anyplace in the u.s.a. and that also gots for everything. Back in the 80’s I used to fly to Seoul and shop, a little pair of cute Korean shoes with a tassel was about 50 cents and now the Same Shoes are $ 13 u.s.d. ! Shocking no matter what. We also used to bring back mink blankets and rugs, other decorations and dolls but now the price has gone nuts. What I paid $ 3 or $ 4 for a doll set now is over $ 30 for the same type 4 unit doll set. I was stunned at the prices of everything this last month October 2019 when we went back to visit our family in Incheon , also went to Seoul. Korea used to be a great shopping destination with great values also for vacation but not any more. So disappointed. Gina and Joe Rosa

  15. Jose says:

    The little Korean shoes I referred to are decorations and we got 60 of them to use on our Christmas tree and to give to guests who came to visit us at the holiday, 1 pair of little shoes to a person only of course. I also did some portraits with an artist in Seoul/ itaewon on canvas with heavy oils , beautiful work, for a small great cost. We got many kinds of stuffed toy animals and lovely clothes at wonderful costs but now – nothing is even worth the cost compared to anyplace in the u.s.a. So so disappointed.

  16. Jose says:

    The little Korean shoes I referred to are decorations and we got 60 of them to use on our Christmas tree and to give to guests who came to visit us at the holiday, 1 pair of little shoes to a person only of course. I also did some portraits with an artist in Seoul/ itaewon on canvas with heavy oils , beautiful work, for a small great cost. We got many kinds of stuffed toy animals and lovely clothes at wonderful costs but now – nothing is even worth the cost compared to anyplace in the u.s.a. So so disappointed. This also goes for food on the streets in Pusan on the waterfront – wow

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