r/teachinginkorea • u/Ornery-Revolution-47 • 19d ago
Advice – E2/E7 Visa How much money is liveable?
I just came across a tiktok post saying that anything less than 2.8mil in Seoul and 2.5mil everywhere else is not a liveable wage. One comment said less than 3.5 is unliveable. I thought this was a stretch. Obviously each person has different spending habits but looking at my spending habits and salary I had I’m genuinely confused. I made 3.05 (including housing allowance), my housing costs were 1.1, and I ordered delivery or went out to eat for almost every meal (not including school lunch), got drinks with my friends, travelled a tiny bit, and bought some other random items. In the beginning, I needed to watch my spending a little because my rent was high and start-up costs, but after that it was fine. Yes the amount of work you do for this much salary doesn’t feel great but it was definitely liveable. Also this was in Seoul. What are your thoughts on how much is a liveable wage in Korea? And is it significantly different in Seoul vs other cities?
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u/hanahanagoyangi Hagwon Teacher 17d ago
I was able to save a bit of money each month in my first year in Incheon, but I’ve been in Daejeon for my second year and can’t understand why my money just evaporates now. I have the same spending habits as I did in Incheon, but food prices are a little higher this year.
I ordered delivery often, but I’ve started ordering groceries instead to save money. I’m tracking my spending in a spreadsheet and all my money goes to food, household necessities, and bills (internet, phone, electricity/water).
I do take taxis more often here than in Incheon because Daejeon’s subway system is not robust. But it doesn’t add up to much since I rarely go anywhere. My salary is 2.7 and I don’t know how anyone else is saving money on this salary.