When you mentioned Bergen County NJ hands down Korea wins. Bergen County is the most expensive county in NJ. People pay what you paid in taxes each month on their houses. It has been voted the #1 place to move from 5 years in a row. NYC is even worse so I can't understand why they said Seoul is the most expensive city. Maybe if you want to live in a villa or own a home. I was watching a RUclipsr who was in Korea and moved to NYC to experience living close to the city. Her rent was $ 2950.00 that didn't include anything else. I think it's less expensive to live in Korea, the biggest expense would be key money. I haven't seen your apartment but you can find a really good apartment for 5000-7000 won a month . Their internet is faster and cheaper while the companies that offer internet service are trying to charge us more and give us less service. Since it's a relatively new bus/train system subsidized by the government, it's clean and taken care of. It isn't private which can cause problems with companies cutting corners. Also they keep the fare down. Cedric your such a professional what field did you work in before you went to Korea? Korea is the best place for a Korean American right now, they are receptive also changing with a lot more opportunities.
Yes, agreed on all points regarding Bergen county lol. I love Bergen county in many ways but as you know, it comes with a hefty price tag. I think one of the bigger factors in it being expensive to live in Korea, more specifically in Seoul, is because the of income to cost of living ratio. But after living in Bergen county and working in NYC, I find that hard to grasp my head around how expensive it is to live in Seoul. Prior to moving to Korea, I worked in financial services in NYC and then in NJ. I left it to focus on my real estate investing business where I primarily focused on finding properties in need of rehab and flipping it to an investor (or fixing it and selling it myself).
Bergen County is beautiful, growing due to demands, flips are turning into much more expensive apartments and homes. Also they are building new homes, apartments, widening roads. You mentioned cost of living ratio. How much does on average a professional make in Seoul. That would be an interesting video to find out what the income to cost of living ratio is.
That's a very good questions and something that I'm curious about myself. I don't have figures or stats so I won't attempt to throw out arbitrary figures. BUT it will be something I'll look into and I would be interested in doing a video in the future.
Thank you for the information! Well informed & appreciated! The Korean budget reminds me of campus life in the US. NJ/NY is too expensive to live. Even if you make $5000 per month there, you may feel kind of poor in the city. My crappy studio apt in the city was like $1500 per month, along w some creatures (e.g., rats, pigeons, & such) in the building. Hope you have a fantastic time in South Korea. Your videos are LIT ✨
I think rent in America, especially in big cities, are really expensive. And medical insurance in America.... 😒 I agree that cost of living in Korea is cheaper in general, but I think Korean people are getting paid less. It’s really nice that you don’t have to pay rent in Korea ☺️Very nice video!
Yes, I agree on all points! Bigger cities in the US just cost more ~ and the average salary in Korea as compared to the US is significantly smaller (at least than in certain parts of the states!
Florida is cheaper than New Jersey for sure. Rent here is about $800-900 for a one bedroom one bathroom. In my case, I pay even less than that ($600) for student apartments since I’m still in college. I think the biggest expense here is definitely transportation. Fl is really bad with public transportation so you have to have your own car. And with a car comes the gas and insurance expenses which are very high. Food wise, depends on where you shop. But you can get a lot of organic produce for cheap if you go to local farms or the flea market compared to when you go to Whole Foods for the same items. Anyway, awesome video! Keep up the great content!
Also it depends where you live in Florida. Where I was (next to Stetson University) you could regularly find places for under $400 a month. Taxes are also muuuuch cheaper, and while we don’t have much public transport, we do have train lines in a lot of areas and more that are being built (I now live in Kansas where none of the above is true XD)
When my husband and I lived in Pohang, out in the countryside, about 4 years ago, the cost of living was astronomically low. We lived off of my husband's income, working through EPIK, and that was enough. We're looking at possibly moving back to Korean sometime in the future since we miss it so much.
Woooooot? Mobile phone contracts are also crazily expensive in the US? For me Korea is also crazily expensive since I was paying less than 10 bucks per month in Austria! 😥
Overall I would say it's pretty much cheaper living expenses in Korea. Yeah, you can save up much easier and have your fix it expenses and still have some money on the side to do different stuff.
Fruit and veggies are SOOO expensive. What I spend on a week worth of grosseries in Korea I can spend it on a month. That's something I will miss from back home. On the other side, transportation can be pricey as well, but the efficiency of the subway lines and buses are worth the price. When it comes to household items, like soap, shampoo and detergent, here it is only $1 for everything! At least in Daiso lol, and clothes is also a bennefit cause for $10 you can get shirt that will last for years from the streets!
That's a good point about the fruit and veggies. I've heard many people talk about how expensive they are. I literally have not purchased any yet here in Korea, so I don't know first hand lol...bad, I know. And yeah, I think Korea is good for the budget conscious consumer but at the same time, it's easy to spend a lot as well.
Tip of the day "Use local traditional markets!! Produces are a lot cheaper at local markets. I would not buy any vegetables or fruits (native to Korea or common in Korea). Do not buy from E-Mart !!
Totally agree! One avocado in E-Mart is 2,000 won most of times, but a friend lives next to a market where 3 avocados cost 4,000 won :D L O C A T I O N I S E V E R Y T H I N G
Bianca Mosquera in Korea, remember always buying locals fruits or popular fruits selling in Korea cause mostly import products add taxes and pricey i don't think fruits in Korea is too expensive if you buy season fruits. Korea don't growing avocado 🥑
What? Things must’ve changed since I lived there. An ajeoshi would sell a basket of fruits whether it be tangerines, apples, strawberries, persimmons, etc. typically cheaper than what I’d find in the US when I lived in Hannam. Someone mentioned avocados which of course would be expensive as it’s imported. No one goes to Korea to eat foreign or imported fruits and veggies. I also disagree with the transportation cost. It’s definitely cheaper in Korea when you compare with taxi’s, subways, etc. than in the US except subway is probably same cost as NYC MTA which is very cheap
Hi, I think you would love knowing I'm from Central America and I literally watched all your videos.... The way you speak, make people want to follow you... Keep doing like that...
Nice comparison with both countries. I had visited LA for traveling and it was very expensive, also I had to pay tips and tax for everything so the price went a lot more higher than I expected.
Thanks for this info! I’m looking into Korea now and one of our biggest concerns is cost of living. Things definitely cost more than Thailand, but the salary is also close to double what you make here. I loved the comparisons to US, too! I’m from Fairfax Co, VA - one of the most expensive counties in the country. Your costs is pretty similar in NJ, and such a great reminder why I left 😂😂😂
Korea is cheap in public transport, medical bill, rent (if you can get jeonse especially), water bills, eating out, cable tv and internet, insurance etc. And electricity is expecially cheap if you use only a small amount per house, so young people living alone pay very little for it. If you are a citizen over 65 you get unlimited free access to the subway system and that means a vast network which streaches over a 100 kilometers both south to north and east to west in the capitol area. Also if you are a citizen it cost about 3 dollars to visit a doctor any time and about 3 dollars for the medical bills at the pharmacy. They hospitals don't even cheak your ID because basically everyone is insured Jeonse is a rent system where there is only one time deposit and no monthly payment. For example you could get that flat for 100,000 USD and pay for no rent to the owner (but you must pay your utilities and management fees to who ever runs these), live free and at the end of the contract get 100,000USD back at the end. (It's crazy but for foreigners coming to korea it is not easy to get jeonse loans so koreans usually think foreigners will pay rent like everywhere else in the world as it is more profitable for the owner) Your information is generally right but actually 1USD is 1100 korean won so all the prices you put up in korea is actually 10% cheaper. And all korean prices are VAT included And korea is generally safe so you don't have to try to move to a expensive neighborhood just for safety reasons. Any where in korea you can go around your neighborhood in slippers with your wallet at 2am(some areas might not be safe for women at that time even though probably nothing would happen) US has cheaper supermarket food, electronics, cars and probably land
Thank you for the informative video! For your reference, the prices of Korean barbecue restaurants in Seoul/Korea is like ; 1 person's serving (usually 150~180g) cooked with meats imported from Australia or U.S. is 18~28 U.S. dollars. (the restaurants near universities offer very inexpensive meat, though.) The price depends on he qualities of meats, the location and the class of restaurants. If you have Korean beef cooked with meats from Korea (= Hanwoo = 한우), the prices go up to over 60 dollars. People love to eat Hanwoo because of the super great taste but don't have them very often because of the price. If I need to treat very important persons, I take them to Hanwoo restaurant. If I casually eat beef, I usually go to normal barbecue restaurants. Officetel (small open studio) in Seoul is 700-1000 dollars a month. If you live in officetel with 2 independent bedrooms, the cost goes up over 1500 dollars. It depends on its location and how recently built. The rent cost that I mentioned is based on quite central areas in Seoul. I hope you have great days in Korea and also hope to find many chances as a musician!
True! ~ I may do a follow up video comparing those cities. I just wanted to share and contrast the cost of living with the places that I am experiencing/experienced, which in this case is northern NJ and Daejeon. But stayed tuned for a potential follow up :) thanks for watching
If you planned on going back to the US and want to drive, you should have car insurance. I forgot what type it is called, but it is for someone who does not have a car and can use it on rentals. It cost about 25 to 75 per month. This will keep your insurance from lapsing and jumping up when you get back.
I agree that Daejeon is cheaper than other city. It's quite glad you live my hometown. It cloes to seoul getting expensive I think and suprised USA expensive than my thinking. Umm But I think Do you think korea have more expensive things than USA and I heard USA serve a food a person amount is lots of than korea?
Yes, I think that a lot of things are more expensive in the United States than in Korea. But it also depends on where you live in the US (because some places are cheaper than others). But honestly, I think most things (that I use at least) are cheaper in Korea!
Yes, the food portions here are huge!! When you go into a restaurant, a food bowl is approximately 7.99-12.99 USD, and it is enough for 2-3 people. But at a drivethru, a hamburger can be 1.99-5.99 USD
Where i live studio apartment rent is about $525.00 to $750.00...( most cases all bills paid).. Public transportation at $40.00. A car note and insurance$ 300.00 and gas per month may be $100.00 and food about $200.00 ( including going out to eat ) per month....
It was very interesting and useful video! I went to Daejeon the other day so i could have bumped into you haha. Hope you’re happy in Korea and you’re super cool
Assuming a 20% downpayment, you can't buy a house in Bergen County, New Jersey, for $1,450 a per month payment. Houses in that area cost $500,000 to $1,500,000. Condo apartments cost $300,000 to $600,000. You might be able to get an condo / apartment on the low end for $1,450 a month, if you had the 20% / $60,000 deposit.
Boyyy Jersey was rippin' you off lol. I kid, in Dallas we also have extra pricey rent depending on the area. I was really blessed with a 1 br the size of a 2 br for $579 a month. Now that place is about $950 😱 Boy Korean BBQ prices keep me hype, but I actually don't eat it often. I usually gain like 5lbs after lol. Korea is def cheaper for everything for me as well, even with my daughter. The biggest reason to stay~ along with medical insurance
LOL no Jersey really did rip me off hahaha. The proximity to NYC had a big part to do with it. But that's awesome that you and your daughter can live well here in Korea!
I'm a 20 year state employee with OK. Ins premium for my wife and myself is over 1300$. And state covers most of it and i pay about 100& out of my pocket. Worked for Dept of Corrections as an officer for 20 years and i'm about to retire. Guess what? There will be no insurance after i retire after working 20 years in prison. Way to go America lol. Elected State or Federal officials get their insurance covered for the rest of their lives. No wonder they don't give a F**k about the rest of the US.
950 in DFW got me a roach infested apartment in a not-so-safe area. For a decent place it is going to be more and smaller. I paid closer to 1500 for a 750sqft apartment in GP. 😿😿😿
moi wahh? In GP? Where at? Lol My fam is in GP and I haven't heard of prices being that high. Is that a recent price? With all the new stuff coming I can imagine it being like that because Arlington had already hiked everything way up
I just love you Cedric you are so very smart and very intelligent and yes where I live here in Dallas it's very expensive food or else so you have it maid and may God continue to be with you and your family
well korea have thing call JUNSE(전세)that's like you put big sum of deposit like security deposit and all you pay is utilities.and you can renew lease contract every two years.
No problem :) My final year in NJ, I was making about $75/80k yr (gross). That's a little over $6500/mo pre-tax. In Korea with my current contract, I'm making 2,200,000won/month. After deductions, that's about $1900+ usd a month.
skycedi This question is what i wanted to you! First of all i wanna say thank you buddy to answer about your personal stuff. I’m korean and really interested in living US. So one more question is your answer seem it’s saying you can save more money living in US then korea even u spent a lot of money. As your experience, which situation is better to live. Spending less money to live but save less money or opposites of that.
Informative as well as being entertaining... I hope to visit South Korea and these comparisons were very helpful in my planning. What do you suggest - A Korean contact suggested I sublease an apartment rather than stay in a hotel for about a month?
Glad that this was informative! I think there are cheaper options for a one month stay in Korea for sure :) I think your best bet is to sublease or rent an airbnb/hostel. There are other options as well I believe, but I don't have much experience outside of these. There are tons of guest houses that offer shared living spaces. Some where you share a room with other guest. Others where you just share the common living spaces. I usually stay in a guest house with a shared room in Seoul if I go there for the weekend. I usually pay around $14-16 to stay ~ it's a super nice place as well. So depending on your comfort level, you will save tons of money outside of hotels!
Thank you so much for your prompt response. The shared common living space and perhaps a private bedroom would totally work for me. Any assistance in locating these type of living spaces for a month would be great. Thanking you advance for your kind assistance
You're welcome! Airbnb is how I find these places! It's really easy, you can read reviews, and book through the app. You can also contact the owner of the place too :)
I know this is an older video. But omg this is exactly the video I was looking for. Dude I live in San Diego, & everything is super expensive. Granted I did mess up my life & finances in the process. But it is insanely hard to save & come up again here.
고마워요 4 this great living expense breakdown! 😊 I found it Super helpful! Man, I spend about $480/month on my transportation expenses...I could save so much $ if I didn't have to have a car!🤔 (I knw u said this was based on ur experience, but it still sounds so 대박!❤ Korea is looking even better to me!😊
I wish you would have put how much the apartment would have cost,for reference and for people not looking to be a teacher. Good video other than that~ way cheaper then Seoul!!
Rebecca Bullock he actually did mention rent is around 500,000₩ (~$500). The rent where I live is 400,000₩ ($400) and my place is a quite large one-br. The place we were in last year was more like an efficiency and cost 300,000₩ ($300), but the school paid that whole cost. In this larger place I am paying 100,000 out of pocket which is nothing compared to stateside.
Yes! I could have made that a bit more clear in the video regarding the apartment costs, perhaps with supporting text on the screen. But yes, in Daejeon, you are looking at a range of $400-600ish for a studio or loft apartment. Apartments usually require "key money" or a deposit (which you'll get back at the end of the lease). Many times this will determine the amount of rent you will pay. Higher key money usually equals lower rent.
In Korea if you're not a teacher though usually you have to put down a deposit which could range anywhere from 1000- 10,000 depending on your house etc etc. But you get it back. So it's still super cheap compared to Canada or US
Wow... cost of living is so cheap in Korea! The apartment rent here in California for 2 bed and 1.5 bath cost $2,700 a month for a lousy apartment. If it’s decent, it would cost way over $3,000 :(. For that reason, I will be moving ti Dallas Tx at the end of May ^^. Thanks for the awesome video!!
You're welcome Julie! I know that Cali is a super expensive state to live in as well, especially as it pertains to real estate. But I'm glad that you'll be moving to a less expensive place soon!
New at your site and yes I did subscribe, And just want to know If $3000 a month income will be enough for a single person to live comfortably what do you think ? Al
Hi, I am applying to progrmas in Korea right now and looking into a TEFL program. Did you have to do one? If so, what one did you do? Do you recommend it?
its all good but how does it compare to income... so far it seems like its less expensive but it all depends if the pay is enough for the cost of living.
Thank you for your information. It would of been even more helpful if we knew the (roughly)Pay you get compared to usa, because if you get paid 4000 a month in usa then you get 500 a month in Korea then the both would be relatable, or something like that. What I'm trying to say is the salary/cost of living ratio is important info.
You're right Shelli-Ann. I should have mentioned that in the video. Perhaps I can do a more in depth follow-up to this video in the future with that info. In Jersey, I made roughly $75/80k annually my last year there. So about $6,500+/mo (before taxes). My contract with EPIK this year (being a 1st year teacher with no teaching experience) is 2,200,000w a month (about $1,900 mo). Hope that helps!
I just want to let you know that 500 a month is super low wage ... Korea is not like Thailand and Vietnam ... lol my Korean friends who lives in Seoul, they earn at least 3000 USD a month and it depends what you do .. if you work in service field, the wage might be quite low but if you work for big companies, you can make at lease 4000 USD a month. Most of my friends earn 50000 - 100000 USD per year so almost same as the US but cost of living is still cheap!
@@skycedi Why would you leave a job that makes you 75k+ a year? to teach english? and are you sure you live better in Korea on you teaching salary? Im sorry but Im super skeptical about that. Please prove me wrong. Im willing to listen. thanks
I give this video a 10/10 and also if you will can you make a video about if south Korea does dual citizenship with Americans? And the recommendations? also about Korean adpotees? ?!!
If anyones curious i live in arizona and thats one of the "less expensive" places in america and i pay everything he listed except my rent is $900. Korea IS cheaper than any place in america and thats facts.
I live in Kansas which is notoriously known for the cost of living being super cheap. Korea is hands down cheaper than what a lot of us pay living here
Yeah sure things cost less but what about job opportunities and what they pay for those jobs. What good is things being cheap if the jobs don’t pay that much? One needs to figure out what job they are able to get and for how much before going to Korea because it’s cheap to live there.
Hi...wonderful information..as we know fastest growing in technology day by day n offcourse the population so people have to adapt the new tech new environment...,👍👍
Did you start with the February intake? I'm starting in February next year. I'm just curious if it's like early February for orientation or the start of school. I know I'll find out eventually but the curiosity is killing me. ^-^
Hello! I came across your video and the Blasian caught my attention and interest. I'm curious to know, where is your dad and do you know your black side of the family?
Hi Sharon! Glad you came across the video. My father passed years ago but yes, I do know the black side of my family. We are separated by distance but connected through technology and social media.
Im thinking to come and live in south korea,because now i live in greece and we have economic crisis,and its kinda hard to pay rent and food car and other things.I saw that if someome comes in korea and try to learn the language the school is paying your rent,is that true?Btw i am a programmer,so if i try to come and live in korea do you think that i can be able to find a job and a normal apartment?and last question how its called the city that you live? Im asking that because i try to find apartments in websites and it was in seoul and rent was like $1000 for a small apartment. Im asking you because as i said i live in greece and its really hard to stay with only €700 and your rent is €500.
I'm definitely saving so much money in korea!! NJ is not a place to live in.... I was paying too much lol. But cant believe you were paying so much for a studio in pal park!!! That's insane..
QOTD 👉How does the cost of living in Korea compare to where you're from? 🤔코멘트를 남겨주세요! Let me know below!
When you mentioned Bergen County NJ hands down Korea wins. Bergen County is the most expensive county in NJ. People pay what you paid in taxes each month on their houses. It has been voted the #1 place to move from 5 years in a row. NYC is even worse so I can't understand why they said Seoul is the most expensive city. Maybe if you want to live in a villa or own a home. I was watching a RUclipsr who was in Korea and moved to NYC to experience living close to the city. Her rent was $ 2950.00 that didn't include anything else.
I think it's less expensive to live in Korea, the biggest expense would be key money. I haven't seen your apartment but you can find a really good apartment for 5000-7000 won a month . Their internet is faster and cheaper while the companies that offer internet service are trying to charge us more and give us less service. Since it's a relatively new bus/train system subsidized by the government, it's clean and taken care of. It isn't private which can cause problems with companies cutting corners. Also they keep the fare down.
Cedric your such a professional what field did you work in before you went to Korea?
Korea is the best place for a Korean American right now, they are receptive also changing with a lot more opportunities.
Yes, agreed on all points regarding Bergen county lol. I love Bergen county in many ways but as you know, it comes with a hefty price tag. I think one of the bigger factors in it being expensive to live in Korea, more specifically in Seoul, is because the of income to cost of living ratio. But after living in Bergen county and working in NYC, I find that hard to grasp my head around how expensive it is to live in Seoul.
Prior to moving to Korea, I worked in financial services in NYC and then in NJ. I left it to focus on my real estate investing business where I primarily focused on finding properties in need of rehab and flipping it to an investor (or fixing it and selling it myself).
Bergen County is beautiful, growing due to demands, flips are turning into much more expensive apartments and homes. Also they are building new homes, apartments, widening roads. You mentioned cost of living ratio. How much does on average a professional make in Seoul. That would be an interesting video to find out what the income to cost of living ratio is.
That's a very good questions and something that I'm curious about myself. I don't have figures or stats so I won't attempt to throw out arbitrary figures. BUT it will be something I'll look into and I would be interested in doing a video in the future.
Thank you for the information! Well informed & appreciated! The Korean budget reminds me of campus life in the US. NJ/NY is too expensive to live. Even if you make $5000 per month there, you may feel kind of poor in the city. My crappy studio apt in the city was like $1500 per month, along w some creatures (e.g., rats, pigeons, & such) in the building. Hope you have a fantastic time in South Korea. Your videos are LIT ✨
I live in NYC and nothing is cheap, and I lived in Seoul for a year when I was in the Army that was back in 1986 and I loved it.
Wow! How was it like in 1986?? You should go back now and see what its like.
1986? aw........... so long! Visit Korea, They look so different now :)
Question: does the military support you moving to a country u aren’t from or are you on your own
Wow i dream of moving to South Korea. Your so lucky.
@@Kenxdrea the US military definitely supports the move and either provides housing or pays for housing.
One of the few channels that actually provide useful info.......Thanks!
It's always a pleasure! I'm glad you're finding value!
I think rent in America, especially in big cities, are really expensive. And medical insurance in America.... 😒 I agree that cost of living in Korea is cheaper in general, but I think Korean people are getting paid less. It’s really nice that you don’t have to pay rent in Korea ☺️Very nice video!
Yes, I agree on all points! Bigger cities in the US just cost more ~ and the average salary in Korea as compared to the US is significantly smaller (at least than in certain parts of the states!
You are very talented in communication 🤗🤗
Thank you so much :)
Florida is cheaper than New Jersey for sure. Rent here is about $800-900 for a one bedroom one bathroom. In my case, I pay even less than that ($600) for student apartments since I’m still in college. I think the biggest expense here is definitely transportation. Fl is really bad with public transportation so you have to have your own car. And with a car comes the gas and insurance expenses which are very high. Food wise, depends on where you shop. But you can get a lot of organic produce for cheap if you go to local farms or the flea market compared to when you go to Whole Foods for the same items.
Anyway, awesome video! Keep up the great content!
Thanks for sharing May. Florida does sound cheaper than Jersey, especially northern Jersey. Very good insight on the Florida market ~ :)
Also it depends where you live in Florida. Where I was (next to Stetson University) you could regularly find places for under $400 a month. Taxes are also muuuuch cheaper, and while we don’t have much public transport, we do have train lines in a lot of areas and more that are being built (I now live in Kansas where none of the above is true XD)
@@ViennaDarlingvd this is 2 years old but i live near Stetson lol (also where tf are trains ive never seen one except for Sunrail)
You could sell me an empty box and I'd buy it 😂😂 you speak in a way that's so welcoming
LOL well thank you for the compliment haha. I should consider a career in box sales 🤔 Thank you for watching!
Yay! I like these comparisons videos, give you some good insight on things.
When my husband and I lived in Pohang, out in the countryside, about 4 years ago, the cost of living was astronomically low. We lived off of my husband's income, working through EPIK, and that was enough. We're looking at possibly moving back to Korean sometime in the future since we miss it so much.
I'm from Bergen county and i'm thinking of teaching in korea so glad I came across your videos!
Woooooot? Mobile phone contracts are also crazily expensive in the US? For me Korea is also crazily expensive since I was paying less than 10 bucks per month in Austria! 😥
LOL! Wow, 10 bucks in Austria! that's amazing hahaha. I'm sure you have a different perspective on phone prices in Korea then haha :)
haha, yes :D
There r other cheaper plans but if u want a brand new phone and get true 4g speed around 65$
Overall I would say it's pretty much cheaper living expenses in Korea. Yeah, you can save up much easier and have your fix it expenses and still have some money on the side to do different stuff.
Yes, I agree! I make way less here but I find that my expenses are way lower and it's easier to save.
Damn brother! Loved your dedication to detail and those graphics really added to the whole presentation. 10/10 would watch again :D
Definitely agree that Korea is CONSIDERABLY cheaper than the US. I love budgeting here!
Thanks Eric! I appreciate the kind words :) And I agree man, budgeting has never been easier for me either!
Fruit and veggies are SOOO expensive. What I spend on a week worth of grosseries in Korea I can spend it on a month. That's something I will miss from back home. On the other side, transportation can be pricey as well, but the efficiency of the subway lines and buses are worth the price. When it comes to household items, like soap, shampoo and detergent, here it is only $1 for everything! At least in Daiso lol, and clothes is also a bennefit cause for $10 you can get shirt that will last for years from the streets!
That's a good point about the fruit and veggies. I've heard many people talk about how expensive they are. I literally have not purchased any yet here in Korea, so I don't know first hand lol...bad, I know. And yeah, I think Korea is good for the budget conscious consumer but at the same time, it's easy to spend a lot as well.
Tip of the day "Use local traditional markets!! Produces are a lot cheaper at local markets. I would not buy any vegetables or fruits (native to Korea or common in Korea). Do not buy from E-Mart !!
Totally agree! One avocado in E-Mart is 2,000 won most of times, but a friend lives next to a market where 3 avocados cost 4,000 won :D
L O C A T I O N
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E V E R Y T H I N G
Bianca Mosquera
in Korea, remember always buying locals fruits or popular fruits selling in Korea cause mostly import products add taxes and pricey
i don't think fruits in Korea is too expensive if you buy season fruits. Korea don't growing avocado 🥑
What? Things must’ve changed since I lived there. An ajeoshi would sell a basket of fruits whether it be tangerines, apples, strawberries, persimmons, etc. typically cheaper than what I’d find in the US when I lived in Hannam. Someone mentioned avocados which of course would be expensive as it’s imported. No one goes to Korea to eat foreign or imported fruits and veggies. I also disagree with the transportation cost. It’s definitely cheaper in Korea when you compare with taxi’s, subways, etc. than in the US except subway is probably same cost as NYC MTA which is very cheap
I like your info, please feel me in on more, because I'm planning on moving to South Korea in July if not in August
Hi, I think you would love knowing I'm from Central America and I literally watched all your videos.... The way you speak, make people want to follow you... Keep doing like that...
Nice comparison with both countries. I had visited LA for traveling and it was very expensive, also I had to pay tips and tax for everything so the price went a lot more higher than I expected.
Thanks for this info! I’m looking into Korea now and one of our biggest concerns is cost of living. Things definitely cost more than Thailand, but the salary is also close to double what you make here. I loved the comparisons to US, too! I’m from Fairfax Co, VA - one of the most expensive counties in the country. Your costs is pretty similar in NJ, and such a great reminder why I left 😂😂😂
Please note that, unless you have a housing connection through a school or university, rentals in Korea require extremely large depostis.
You uploaded a nice video for 2019 we are thinking about moving over there to South Korea in about two more yearsg
Korea is cheap in public transport, medical bill, rent (if you can get jeonse especially), water bills, eating out, cable tv and internet, insurance etc. And electricity is expecially cheap if you use only a small amount per house, so young people living alone pay very little for it. If you are a citizen over 65 you get unlimited free access to the subway system and that means a vast network which streaches over a 100 kilometers both south to north and east to west in the capitol area. Also if you are a citizen it cost about 3 dollars to visit a doctor any time and about 3 dollars for the medical bills at the pharmacy. They hospitals don't even cheak your ID because basically everyone is insured
Jeonse is a rent system where there is only one time deposit and no monthly payment. For example you could get that flat for 100,000 USD and pay for no rent to the owner (but you must pay your utilities and management fees to who ever runs these), live free and at the end of the contract get 100,000USD back at the end. (It's crazy but for foreigners coming to korea it is not easy to get jeonse loans so koreans usually think foreigners will pay rent like everywhere else in the world as it is more profitable for the owner)
Your information is generally right but actually 1USD is 1100 korean won so all the prices you put up in korea is actually 10% cheaper. And all korean prices are VAT included
And korea is generally safe so you don't have to try to move to a expensive neighborhood just for safety reasons. Any where in korea you can go around your neighborhood in slippers with your wallet at 2am(some areas might not be safe for women at that time even though probably nothing would happen)
US has cheaper supermarket food, electronics, cars and probably land
Thank you for the informative video!
For your reference,
the prices of Korean barbecue restaurants in Seoul/Korea is like ;
1 person's serving (usually 150~180g) cooked with meats imported from Australia or U.S. is 18~28 U.S. dollars. (the restaurants near universities offer very inexpensive meat, though.) The price depends on he qualities of meats, the location and the class of restaurants.
If you have Korean beef cooked with meats from Korea (= Hanwoo = 한우), the prices go up to over 60 dollars. People love to eat Hanwoo because of the super great taste but don't have them very often because of the price. If I need to treat very important persons, I take them to Hanwoo restaurant. If I casually eat beef, I usually go to normal barbecue restaurants.
Officetel (small open studio) in Seoul is 700-1000 dollars a month. If you live in officetel with 2 independent bedrooms, the cost goes up over 1500 dollars. It depends on its location and how recently built. The rent cost that I mentioned is based on quite central areas in Seoul.
I hope you have great days in Korea and also hope to find many chances as a musician!
Thank you so much for your feedback and sharing!
haha thats wonderful! i lived in pal park for like 10 years.... I recently found ur channel, love it!
I'd smash that subscribe button twice, if I could
My man!! 😉
Then you'd unsubscribe...
I think a better comparison would have been NY vs Seoul or Daejon vs a lesser expensive state since Daejon is relatively cheaper anyway.
True! ~ I may do a follow up video comparing those cities. I just wanted to share and contrast the cost of living with the places that I am experiencing/experienced, which in this case is northern NJ and Daejeon. But stayed tuned for a potential follow up :) thanks for watching
I think that one of the reasons you can eat outside everyday in Korea is because you don't have to tip.
This really helped me out! I'm moving to Korea within 2 months and I'm super excited. This really gave me a great idea of what to expect! :D
Very helpful and very accurate awesome Job Cedric!
If you planned on going back to the US and want to drive, you should have car insurance. I forgot what type it is called, but it is for someone who does not have a car and can use it on rentals. It cost about 25 to 75 per month. This will keep your insurance from lapsing and jumping up when you get back.
Thanks for the tip. I plan on staying in Korea long term. BUT i need to get my international driver's license so that I can drive here in Korea!
I agree that Daejeon is cheaper than other city. It's quite glad you live my hometown. It cloes to seoul getting expensive I think and suprised USA expensive than my thinking. Umm But I think Do you think korea have more expensive things than USA and I heard USA serve a food a person amount is lots of than korea?
Yes, I think that a lot of things are more expensive in the United States than in Korea. But it also depends on where you live in the US (because some places are cheaper than others). But honestly, I think most things (that I use at least) are cheaper in Korea!
Yes, the food portions here are huge!! When you go into a restaurant, a food bowl is approximately 7.99-12.99 USD, and it is enough for 2-3 people. But at a drivethru, a hamburger can be 1.99-5.99 USD
So awesome to find out you're literally in about a 5km radius from me! Would love to meet you as a fan!
Wow, that's so cool. Would love to meet someday^^
Where i live studio apartment rent is about $525.00 to $750.00...( most cases all bills paid).. Public transportation at $40.00. A car note and insurance$ 300.00 and gas per month may be $100.00 and food about $200.00 ( including going out to eat ) per month....
Wow, not too bad. That sounds similar to prices I paid when I lived in North Carolina.
Very informative & detailed, thanks for the input!
Thank you! Glad you watched :)
It was very interesting and useful video! I went to Daejeon the other day so i could have bumped into you haha. Hope you’re happy in Korea and you’re super cool
So glad you watched! It would have been cool if we crossed paths haha
Assuming a 20% downpayment, you can't buy a house in Bergen County, New Jersey, for $1,450 a per month payment. Houses in that area cost $500,000 to $1,500,000. Condo apartments cost $300,000 to $600,000. You might be able to get an condo / apartment on the low end for $1,450 a month, if you had the 20% / $60,000 deposit.
Boyyy Jersey was rippin' you off lol. I kid, in Dallas we also have extra pricey rent depending on the area. I was really blessed with a 1 br the size of a 2 br for $579 a month. Now that place is about $950 😱
Boy Korean BBQ prices keep me hype, but I actually don't eat it often. I usually gain like 5lbs after lol. Korea is def cheaper for everything for me as well, even with my daughter. The biggest reason to stay~ along with medical insurance
East coast is expensive especially if you are close to NYC.
LOL no Jersey really did rip me off hahaha. The proximity to NYC had a big part to do with it. But that's awesome that you and your daughter can live well here in Korea!
I'm a 20 year state employee with OK. Ins premium for my wife and myself is over 1300$. And state covers most of it and i pay about 100& out of my pocket. Worked for Dept of Corrections as an officer for 20 years and i'm about to retire. Guess what? There will be no insurance after i retire after working 20 years in prison. Way to go America lol. Elected State or Federal officials get their insurance covered for the rest of their lives. No wonder they don't give a F**k about the rest of the US.
950 in DFW got me a roach infested apartment in a not-so-safe area. For a decent place it is going to be more and smaller. I paid closer to 1500 for a 750sqft apartment in GP. 😿😿😿
moi wahh? In GP? Where at? Lol My fam is in GP and I haven't heard of prices being that high. Is that a recent price? With all the new stuff coming I can imagine it being like that because Arlington had already hiked everything way up
that was a nice video~~ keep it up Brother~
Great video and insight! Thank you!!
Thanks Sky! This was informative.
My pleasure as always! Glad you found it informative :)
I just love you Cedric you are so very smart and very intelligent and yes where I live here in Dallas it's very expensive food or else so you have it maid and may God continue to be with you and your family
well korea have thing call JUNSE(전세)that's like you put big sum of deposit like security deposit and all you pay is utilities.and you can renew lease contract every two years.
I am going to be travelling to Korea solo for 4 months, where exactly am I meant to find a place and I cant use public transport.
Thank you for this video ☺️💚
awesome video!!
Awesome advice
Would like to know the difference in salary in NJ and where you are now. Hope that's not asking to much or is too personal.
No problem :)
My final year in NJ, I was making about $75/80k yr (gross). That's a little over $6500/mo pre-tax.
In Korea with my current contract, I'm making 2,200,000won/month. After deductions, that's about $1900+ usd a month.
skycedi This question is what i wanted to you! First of all i wanna say thank you buddy to answer about your personal stuff. I’m korean and really interested in living US. So one more question is your answer seem it’s saying you can save more money living in US then korea even u spent a lot of money. As your experience, which situation is better to live. Spending less money to live but save less money or opposites of that.
Xs
Informative as well as being entertaining... I hope to visit South Korea and these comparisons were very helpful in my planning. What do you suggest - A Korean contact suggested I sublease an apartment rather than stay in a hotel for about a month?
Glad that this was informative! I think there are cheaper options for a one month stay in Korea for sure :) I think your best bet is to sublease or rent an airbnb/hostel. There are other options as well I believe, but I don't have much experience outside of these. There are tons of guest houses that offer shared living spaces. Some where you share a room with other guest. Others where you just share the common living spaces.
I usually stay in a guest house with a shared room in Seoul if I go there for the weekend. I usually pay around $14-16 to stay ~ it's a super nice place as well. So depending on your comfort level, you will save tons of money outside of hotels!
Thank you so much for your prompt response. The shared common living space and perhaps a private bedroom would totally work for me. Any assistance in locating these type of living spaces for a month would be great. Thanking you advance for your kind assistance
You're welcome! Airbnb is how I find these places! It's really easy, you can read reviews, and book through the app. You can also contact the owner of the place too :)
lol. was too busy vibin to the BGM, didn't hear half of what you said. lmaooo. glad you had the numbers listed visually. haha
I think the music was the best part of the video lol
👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼 Im from Pal Park also 🤗 thank you for your video 🙏🏽 have been interested in staying there for while to gain culture experience
Great video! As a lifelong New Jerseyan, I was sad laughing at all the American expenses
Rent in Maryland currently paying $1,800 🤯
I know this is an older video. But omg this is exactly the video I was looking for. Dude I live in San Diego, & everything is super expensive. Granted I did mess up my life & finances in the process. But it is insanely hard to save & come up again here.
고마워요 4 this great living expense breakdown! 😊 I found it Super helpful! Man, I spend about $480/month on my transportation expenses...I could save so much $ if I didn't have to have a car!🤔 (I knw u said this was based on ur experience, but it still sounds so 대박!❤ Korea is looking even better to me!😊
You're very welcome! I'm happy that this helps you! I feel you on the transportation expenses for sure lol!
You can buy a house in the US for 1450 dollars? Where i live it's at least 1million 😟
✨🙏 God bless you Sky
Thank you!!
You are looking good ^^ Thanks for the info. :))
Can you do a G1 visa,(refugee) and its goods and bads
especially in south korea in aspect of medical insurance and public transportation fee are way cheaper than usa.
I was thinking about living in South Korea 🇰🇷. How would I find a job?
I live in Chicago and let me tell you, south korea prices would be a blessing
Right ?? Its so expensive here
I'm living that hagwon life so I spend all my money ordering late night food on yogiyo.
LOL I feel you on this
I wish you would have put how much the apartment would have cost,for reference and for people not looking to be a teacher. Good video other than that~ way cheaper then Seoul!!
Rebecca Bullock he actually did mention rent is around 500,000₩ (~$500). The rent where I live is 400,000₩ ($400) and my place is a quite large one-br. The place we were in last year was more like an efficiency and cost 300,000₩ ($300), but the school paid that whole cost. In this larger place I am paying 100,000 out of pocket which is nothing compared to stateside.
Ren Curry thanks! I must have just missed it, my mistake
Rebecca Bullock no problem~ happy to help you out
Yes! I could have made that a bit more clear in the video regarding the apartment costs, perhaps with supporting text on the screen. But yes, in Daejeon, you are looking at a range of $400-600ish for a studio or loft apartment. Apartments usually require "key money" or a deposit (which you'll get back at the end of the lease). Many times this will determine the amount of rent you will pay. Higher key money usually equals lower rent.
In Korea if you're not a teacher though usually you have to put down a deposit which could range anywhere from 1000- 10,000 depending on your house etc etc. But you get it back. So it's still super cheap compared to Canada or US
what? $1450 a month...dang...that's freakin expensive.
I cant see myself ever going back to paying that
So you didn't keep your same phone plan and company that you had in the states?
Wow... cost of living is so cheap in Korea! The apartment rent here in California for 2 bed and 1.5 bath cost $2,700 a month for a lousy apartment. If it’s decent, it would cost way over $3,000 :(. For that reason, I will be moving ti Dallas Tx at the end of May ^^. Thanks for the awesome video!!
You're welcome Julie! I know that Cali is a super expensive state to live in as well, especially as it pertains to real estate. But I'm glad that you'll be moving to a less expensive place soon!
Would the price be different if you lived in Seoul? I'm thinking to go back to Korea.
Great video bro
Oh my god yes it's so true.. I lived right across the GW bridge near yankee stadium and WOW rent transportation is way cheaper in Korea.
I didn't even mention toll prices LOL ~ Transportation cost is brutal there
skycedi omg I'm going to cry when I move back soon. 😭😭😭
It's far more expensive for a single teacher to live in America. We need to appreciate our teachers in America like they do in South Korea.
Agreed :)
i live in orlando, fl and rent is the same price if not more it's crazy 😭
I wish I had free rent!Therefore I am surprised to see that US is so expensive. this is why I love Europe :D
New at your site and yes I did subscribe, And just want to know If $3000 a month income will be enough for a single person to live comfortably what do you think ? Al
HOW did you not go broke in the US??? I’m from the UK and those numbers are crazy to me 😱😱😱
Hi, I am applying to progrmas in Korea right now and looking into a TEFL program. Did you have to do one? If so, what one did you do? Do you recommend it?
Palisade Park is Little Korea.
its all good but how does it compare to income... so far it seems like its less expensive but it all depends if the pay is enough for the cost of living.
100% true
What is the cost of Korea (Daejeon or Seoul) vs. Fayetteville/NC?
Thank you for your information. It would of been even more helpful if we knew the (roughly)Pay you get compared to usa, because if you get paid 4000 a month in usa then you get 500 a month in Korea then the both would be relatable, or something like that. What I'm trying to say is the salary/cost of living ratio is important info.
You're right Shelli-Ann. I should have mentioned that in the video. Perhaps I can do a more in depth follow-up to this video in the future with that info.
In Jersey, I made roughly $75/80k annually my last year there. So about $6,500+/mo (before taxes). My contract with EPIK this year (being a 1st year teacher with no teaching experience) is 2,200,000w a month (about $1,900 mo).
Hope that helps!
I just want to let you know that 500 a month is super low wage ... Korea is not like Thailand and Vietnam ... lol my Korean friends who lives in Seoul, they earn at least 3000 USD a month and it depends what you do .. if you work in service field, the wage might be quite low but if you work for big companies, you can make at lease 4000 USD a month. Most of my friends earn 50000 - 100000 USD per year so almost same as the US but cost of living is still cheap!
Minimum wage in South Korea is 1600USD a month (based on 8hours a day / 20 days a month)
@@slee708 Can you elaborate? What do you mean by service field? You talking about Restaurant work?
@@skycedi Why would you leave a job that makes you 75k+ a year? to teach english? and are you sure you live better in Korea on you teaching salary? Im sorry but Im super skeptical about that. Please prove me wrong. Im willing to listen. thanks
I give this video a 10/10 and also if you will can you make a video about if south Korea does dual citizenship with Americans? And the recommendations? also about Korean adpotees? ?!!
Thanks Detrell! That's a great suggestion for a video and I would love to present that info in a future video :)
AMAZING AND AWESOME!! 💙 I would stay in Korea for a LONG time. Way cheaper than the US and so many opportunities.
Oh really? Can you elaborate?
It is super expensive where you were from in the States. A lot of states are cheap to live in.
Still can't compete with free rent. No where in the US gives you free rent
If anyones curious i live in arizona and thats one of the "less expensive" places in america and i pay everything he listed except my rent is $900. Korea IS cheaper than any place in america and thats facts.
I live in Kansas which is notoriously known for the cost of living being super cheap. Korea is hands down cheaper than what a lot of us pay living here
Yeah sure things cost less but what about job opportunities and what they pay for those jobs. What good is things being cheap if the jobs don’t pay that much? One needs to figure out what job they are able to get and for how much before going to Korea because it’s cheap to live there.
I live in pal park and his estimates of cost in the area do line up.
I will be going to South Korea soon, so it's a good thing I saw this video
Awesome! Glad this video helped :)
This is helpful.
I'm glad! :)
Talk about the EPIK Program.
Hi...wonderful information..as we know fastest growing in technology day by day n offcourse the population so people have to adapt the new tech new environment...,👍👍
Did you start with the February intake? I'm starting in February next year. I'm just curious if it's like early February for orientation or the start of school. I know I'll find out eventually but the curiosity is killing me. ^-^
You should keep me updated!!!
Hello! I came across your video and the Blasian caught my attention and interest. I'm curious to know, where is your dad and do you know your black side of the family?
Hi Sharon! Glad you came across the video. My father passed years ago but yes, I do know the black side of my family. We are separated by distance but connected through technology and social media.
What about salary?
Im thinking to come and live in south korea,because now i live in greece and we have economic crisis,and its kinda hard to pay rent and food car and other things.I saw that if someome comes in korea and try to learn the language the school is paying your rent,is that true?Btw i am a programmer,so if i try to come and live in korea do you think that i can be able to find a job and a normal apartment?and last question how its called the city that you live? Im asking that because i try to find apartments in websites and it was in seoul and rent was like $1000 for a small apartment.
Im asking you because as i said i live in greece and its really hard to stay with only €700 and your rent is €500.
You looks like Thai people. Are you planning to visit SE ASIA region or Thailand for vacation someday?
haha Yes! My next few trips will be in SE Asian and I really want to visit Thailand soon :)
you are truly saving lots of money here! ✌️let’s spend it when we go out together huhihihi 😂
haha yes indeed! And YES that sounds goooood to me! Let's go out so I can spend my moneys! 😏ㅋㅋ
@@skycedi omg how did this turn out?!?! Haha
Watching this in 2024. .. $1,500 for a one bedroom apartment in Palisades Park NJ. 😂 wish we could go back to that.
How much would rent be if you had to pay
$400-600 for a studio apartment in Daejeon ~ my particular apartment would run around $400
I'm definitely saving so much money in korea!! NJ is not a place to live in.... I was paying too much lol. But cant believe you were paying so much for a studio in pal park!!! That's insane..
haha yeah! Pal Park was insanely inflated. I can't believe that I paid that much either smhhh. Anyways, it's a new chapter now lol ~
I live in Colorado and it's expensive to live here too.
It's pretty interesting. It sounds like America is a bit cheaper than Australia but it's still amazing how cheap Korea is for us haha
right!? it would be hard to go back and re-adjust haha
IN 2000 the won rate was 1500.