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작성일 : 09-12-29 09:27
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Cost of Living in Korea
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글쓴이 :
관리자
 조회 : 724
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Cost of living in Korea
- Cost of living in Seoul is about the same as big cities in the US, which means
it is little higher than most places in North America. Smaller cities in Korea
have slightly lower cost of living. It is fairly easy to save money because the
housing is paid for by employer, and with being taken care of, your main
expense will be food, utilities, and phone bills.
Doctors
- Most Korean doctors have some knowledge of English, and those who have
studied abroad are quite fluent in English, Japanese or German. There are
many very well qualified doctors, but it is not always easy to find them .
The best way is by word of mouth recommendations from friends.
While doctors at most clinics usually have some command of English, the staff
can rarely communicate in English.
Transportation
- The most economical way of getting around in Korea is by bus or subway.
The Subway is the typical public transportation which can take you to
anywhere in Seoul. It is convenient to use subway because in Seoul there
are many cars and the roads are usually jammed. There are 8 subway lines in
Seoul and it is easy to recognize them because of they're marked in different
colors. Line 1 is red, line 2 is green, line 3 is orange, line 4 is blue, line 5 is
purple, line 6 is orchid, line 7 is olive green and line 8 is pink.
Clothing
- Clothing worn in Korea are quite similar to those worn in Western countries,
although styles tend to be more conservative and a bit more sophisticated in
the west. Since Korea has four distinct seasons, you will need clothes from for
full range of climates. Heavy coates, boots and gloves are necessary in the
winter, and Korea's hot humid summer requires lightweight clothes. If you tall
or big, please bring your clothing instead of planning to buy them here.
Especially, two items expatriate may have more difficulty buying in Korea are
underwear and shoes.
Common Taxi
- The rates are calculated depending on the distance and time. The first 2 km
is 1,300won and every 210m after that 100won is added to the basic rate.
If it is impossible to go even 15km/hour because of traffic jam, then the
meter adds 100won for every 51 sec. The rate from the airport to Seoul
downtown is usually about 10,000won. From midnight to 4am rates are
increased by 20%.
Bus
- There are about 400 bus routes and over 8,500 buses in Seoul. The more
detailed routes of the buses than the sub way help you get closer the place
you want. But it is hard to know all the routes exactly and since the
information is not in English you might miss your stop.
Taxi
- There are two types of taxis: common taxi and, deluxe tax(Mobom taxi).
The deluxe taxi is more expensive than the common taxi but the services
are better. You should know exactly where you want to go because not all
the taxi drivers can speak English.
Currency
- Korea's currency is the won, which comes in 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 won
bills, and 10, 50, 100 and 500 won coins. Generally, banks are open between
09:30-16:30 Monday through Friday. Automated teller machines are in
operation 24 hours a day. Most larger stores, hotels and restaurants in Korea
will accept major international credit cards. However, it is advisable to carry
some cash, since many smaller establishments and stores may not have credit
card processing equipment.
Banking
- Shortly after you have been processed as a resident in Korea, your employer
will help you open an account at a local bank. At most schools, your salary is
deposited directly into your bank account on pay day. You can then withdraw
money from ATMs with your bank card. Korean banks have high ATM
withdrawal limits ? usually in excess of US$2500 per day. Service charges are
minimal or non-existent, and Korean banks actually pay interest on regular
human-sized deposits.
Transferring money to your home country is easy. Most banks have some
English-speaking employees who are able to help you fill out the forms.
You are allowed to transfer up to 100% of your legal salary out of Korea.
Your bank in North America may charge surprisingly high fees for receiving an
overseas transfer and the bank you transfer from in Korea will charge up to
10,000 won. In addition, your transfer may pass through other banks before
it's gets where you want it to go and additional fees will be added, bringing
the total anywhere from C$30/US$24 ? C$50/US$40). Obviously, you should
avoid sending small amounts. One way to save money in foreign currency is
to buy travelers' cheques in whatever currency you wish and to simply keep
them at home. Be sure to sign them once so that you can have them
replaced if they are lost or stolen.
Note that it is illegal to carry, on your person or in your baggage, more than
US$10,000 (or its equivalent), in cash or travelers' cheques, out of the
country. Amounts beyond this may well be seized and not returned.
Don't count on your bank card working in Korea, regardless of network
affiliation. I've had hit and miss experiences using a Canadian bank card in
Korea. Sometimes it worked where it was supposed to and other times it
didn't.
Most Korean banks readily exchange foreign currency in cash or travelers'
cheques. U.S., Canadian, and Australian dollar travelers' cheques and cash are
accepted for exchange at almost all banks. As Korea does not have a large
foreign tourist industry, exchange rates
Internet
- Your apartment will almost certainly be ready with a cable internet connection.
In South Korea, an amazing 80% of households have a high-speed internet
connection. In the U.S., the figure is only 25%. Average monthly fees for an
internet connection at home are around 30,000 won. If you don't take your
computer to Korea, there will probably be one (or more) at work with a
high-speed internet connection for teachers to use.
If you don't have a computer and would prefer not to use the computers at
work, there are lots of "PC Bang" around. These are public computer rooms,
usually with 25-100 computers available. Prices are low ? rarely more than
2,000 won an hour. These computer rooms can be noisy and smoky as they
attract a lot of young people keen on checking out the newest and loudest
computer games. Almost everyone in Korea lives within walking distance of
one.
Telephone
- Koreans are obsessed with mobile phones. For the vast majority of the
population, having the most up-to-date model is one of life's main priorities.
There are more active mobile phone accounts than Koreans over the age of
12 in the country. Prices for service have fallen dramatically over the past few
years, making them about the same as in North America.
In many cases, there is no landline in a teacher's apartment. Instead the
school director gives the teacher a mobile phone, already working with a
phone number (the bills are the teacher's responsibility). Note that even with
landlines, local calls are not free, though basic monthly service charges are
minimal.
It is easy to buy phone cards that cater to the part of the world you want to
call. Any corner store has a wide variety of cards on display. The rates are
generally less than half that of the mobile companies or South Korean
Telecom. I've used several different phone cards in Korea and never had any
problems.
There are lots of public telephones in Korea, though fewer and fewer accept
coins. You'll need a card more often than not. Happily, the cards are sold in
denominations as small as 5,000 won; in contrast, one has to part with 1,000
Yen (C$13 / US$10) for the cheapest phone card in Japan.
Medical Services
- Good Health can generally be maintained in Korea by taking a few sensible
precautions. Medical and emergency services are available for un expected
upsets.
When you need to see a doctor, you may encounter communication
difficulties due to language. You may also spend considerable time waiting for
medical treatment in general hospitals and university hospitals. If you are not
familiar with Korean, it is best way to go with one of your Korean friends for
interpretation. It would be wise to go to a known hospital where language
barriers are reduced. In an emergency, take some cash with you because
some hospitals accept only certain credit cards. Medical insurance card is not
recognized as a form of prepayment.
· International SOS Korea Ltd. : Tel. (82-2)790-7561, 6783 (24 hours)
· Seoul National University Hospital : Tel. (82-2)760-2890
You can call 119 in any emergency situation (i.e. fire, injury, natural disaster,
etc.).
Once you call, your location is automatically identified and a rescue team will
arrive quickly to provide you with professional assistance water
- Most drinking water in Korea is safe, but people rarely drink it directly from the
tap. Most expatriates boil their drinking water, or they buy bottled water.
Koreans generally drink barley tea(boricha) in place of water.
Food
- Some smaller restaurant do not have a high standard of hygiene and it is
probably best to avoid such food as raw fish unless you are uncertain that the
restaurant has a spotless reputation. Try to eat hot foods always, as the
heat will kill bacteria on dishes that have not been washed too well.
Cold noodles(Naengmyun)can result in if the dishes are not washed properly.
At home, it is important to wash fruit and vegetables carefully, rinsing them
often in water. Because of pesticides and herbicides, Koreans always peel
apples and pears before eating them.
Shopping
- South Korea is known as a mecca for shoppers, offering a great variety of
items at reasonable prices. Tourists may purchase many necessities and
souvenir items at any of the hundreds of shops in department stores and
shopping arcades in Seoul as well as major cities throughout the country.
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