EPT
Cost of Living in Korea - Page 2
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Not_Computer
Canada2277 Posts
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clazziquai
6685 Posts
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29 fps
United States5725 Posts
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Vivi57
United States6599 Posts
On December 02 2008 17:46 Rekrul wrote: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=64142 Holy crap that was awesome. Korea actually sounds really cheap compared to here. only 1000 a month for an apartment? | ||
MrHoon
10183 Posts
On December 02 2008 17:34 Rekrul wrote: if you take all the different scum, from every country in the world, and pile them into one area...and throw in a bunch of ugly skanky korean sluts with gonnorhea, U get Itaewon. there was a time when korea wasn't full of skanky whores  I blame shitty pop music and white people | ||
Rekrul
Korea (South)17174 Posts
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FakeSteve[TPR]
Valhalla18444 Posts
On December 02 2008 18:12 MrHoon wrote: there was a time when korea wasn't full of skanky whores I blame shitty pop music and white people white people are to blame for pretty much everything im white and whitey keeps me down all the time | ||
NeverGG
United Kingdom5399 Posts
I'd check that out before you start thinking about living costs. Also working illegally here isn't a good idea - they've been cracking down on illegal teaching/private lessons in the last couple of years so it's really not worth the risk. I'm also in total agreement with Rekrul - Itaewon is scummy. I don't know why people like it so much. My friends said it's because of the bookstore and foreign food shop, but you can go elsewhere for 90% of the items you can find there. It's just one boring street which looks really dirty in the day time. I much prefer to go to shopping districts like Myeongdong, Namdaemun (for the market) and Gangnam (good food ^^.) | ||
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Elric
United Kingdom1327 Posts
As Susie says, north of the river is generally much cheaper than south. I reckon you can get a minimalistic but perfectly habitable place for 300,000 a month. As you know already the job-hunting will be quite hard. I have seen literally ONE foreigner working in food/drink places. And he was a guy who could speak Korean fluently and was in fact the owner of the bar. I think the jobs that you would have a chance with in these places are the backroom staff because you wouldn't be able to communicate with the patrons. Koreans put an incredible amount of emphasis on your educational background, especially uni degree. I know quite a few foreigners here and 99% of them are doing something requiring a degree. There is more I want to say but I don't want to completely fuck up your hopes with negativism. (although imo its would be realism not pessimism) HEY SHIT: I just had a brainwave. Have you considered working in the US military posts. These places are just like little Americas and the biggest one is in Yongsan (middle of Seoul). 90% of people in these places are US citizens so the requirement for Korean skills should be less of an issue. Edit: oh crap. nevergg just mentioned the most important thing which i forgot which is the visa. Edit2: Itaewon is indeed the bull's backside of Seoul. | ||
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Smuft
Canada318 Posts
On December 02 2008 18:03 29 fps wrote: i would imagine that you need to speak korean to interact with customers or coworkers if you do work there. if you dont speak korean, then you probably need a degree of some sort to do anything related to English or translation. so... without those, then it'll be much more difficult to land a job if you plan on living there. This is right. Mr reaver seems to be a little bit ignorant to the fact that 90% of korean's only speak korean and there is no chance of him getting a job like he mentioned. I think korean wages for low level jobs begin somewhere around 3000won per hour ($2 USD with current exchange rate) and average salary is much lower than usa in general. Their currency is so raped right now that it's not a good place to be working period (but a very good place to be living in while earning US poker dollars). To give you some kind of hope I can tell you that there are english teachers in korea without degrees who either teach privately (1on1) or who work at an institute in a classroom setting under the table. Regarding expenses in korea; it is a place where it's possible to live an extremely cheap life style taking the subway, living on the other side of the river, eating ramyun, and drinking soju (<2k/month) and a place that is possible to live an extremely expensive life style taking personalized escort taxis, living in a gangnam high rise, 0215445478 delivery 3x a day, and drinking night club whiskey (~10k/month). I've experienced and enjoyed both the expensive and the cheap life style (except I never lived on the other side of the river... fuck that). | ||
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Rekrul
Korea (South)17174 Posts
gotta love those badass cabs they run red lights infront of cops and speed away thru dark alley short cuts not stoping for any pedestrians quality service | ||
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stalife
Canada1222 Posts
But Korea isn't some random country where a foreign man without a degree or some special skill can easily get a decent job, and keep it for a relatively long time. The education in Korea is extremely competitive. It will be MUCH easier to get into a local college for a year, transfer to a decent college, and then get a degree to find other jobs. If you are just REALLY in love with Korea and just want to live there, then I would recommend going to college that offer exchange student program to korean universities. Then you can live in Korea for 6 months~1 yr. See how it is, if you think you can adjust to the lifestyle in korea, and maybe find out more while living there. | ||
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Boonbag
France3318 Posts
Are going to a pro team Play poker and have friends there Are already rich Have money to invest in a joint venture Have a degree and an organisation welcoming you there and offering you salary and housing opportunities Have relatives living there Are a whatever watersports pro - star - teacher - and got an opportunity teaching it in Busan Tourist visiting for a few weeks KOREA AIN'T CHEAP Besides, as far as low living expenses lifestyle goes, even if you somehow get by your own self under the 1.5k usd /month mark, unless you have some friends over there it's gonna be tough. I mean Korea's awesome, but you need money. As it was previously stated : People don't talk english People don't work in ENGLISH People don't hire foreigners in restaurants unless you're the cousin of a mexican US army drop out that resides in an underground itaewon dump eating fried rats for supper and that owns his own nacho place. | ||
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mel_ee
2450 Posts
Anyways going to korea as an exchange student, you'll live a cheap/inexpensive life but its your friends that you meet here that make the experience interesting. | ||
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infinity21
Canada6683 Posts
I still want to go for the experience and teach english or something while I'm there but not sure if a teaching job will be able to cover my living costs now haha I guess having relatives there will chop down the costs by a lot? | ||
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MayorITC
Korea (South)798 Posts
Otherwise, get an English-teaching job. I've had extensive tutoring jobs in Korea as a high school and college student so a degree isn't necessary. Honestly, you should get a college degree than apply for a position at Seoul Foreign School. The school provides a nice 2 Bedroom lodging for all faculty members. Plus, you get paid in dollars, which used to be awesome before the US economy started sucking. On top of that, you'll be surrounded by an English-speaking community. If you want a really cheap place to rent, you could also check out Incheon. It's right next to Seoul and rental prices there will be at least half of what they cost in Seoul. The downside is that it takes an hour to commute by subway. | ||
RaGe
Belgium9950 Posts
If you can get a job in the military camps (without enlisting) though, you'd be getting an american wage, and can spend it well now that the won is cheap. Also, it's gonna be hard getting a visa without that US military job lol. good luck | ||
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RaGe
Belgium9950 Posts
On December 02 2008 21:45 Boonbag wrote: Don't go Korea unless you : Are going to a pro team Play poker and have friends there Are already rich Have money to invest in a joint venture Have a degree and an organisation welcoming you there and offering you salary and housing opportunities Have relatives living there Are a whatever watersports pro - star - teacher - and got an opportunity teaching it in Busan Tourist visiting for a few weeks or unless you have a: pretty face and can live off that LOL? | ||
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Boonbag
France3318 Posts
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NeverGG
United Kingdom5399 Posts
On December 02 2008 23:00 MayorITC wrote: If you're American find a way to see if you can work at the American bases in Korea without having to enlist in the Army. Otherwise, get an English-teaching job. I've had extensive tutoring jobs in Korea as a high school and college student so a degree isn't necessary. Honestly, you should get a college degree than apply for a position at Seoul Foreign School. The school provides a nice 2 Bedroom lodging for all faculty members. Plus, you get paid in dollars, which used to be awesome before the US economy started sucking. On top of that, you'll be surrounded by an English-speaking community. If you want a really cheap place to rent, you could also check out Incheon. It's right next to Seoul and rental prices there will be at least half of what they cost in Seoul. The downside is that it takes an hour to commute by subway. The (University) degree is definitely necessary for all foreigners wanting to teach in hagwons, public or University institutions - you won't even get an interview without it because it's a basic requirement of a teaching visa here. I'm not sure about the specific institute you mentioned, but a degree is the first thing they ask for along with 2 copies of your sealed university transcripts. | ||
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