When it comes to exploring Asia, how could we skip an amazing country like South Korea. from bustling cities to countryside life it has everything one is looking for.
South Koreans enjoy a stable currency and a high standard of living.
Average Prices
Anyone with taste of traditional Korean food find prices a lot affordable; a meal at an inexpensive Korean restaurant in Seoul can cost about 5 USD. But dinner at a well reputed expensive Korean restaurant costs nearly 200 USD per person. A great way to save money on food is to eat local foods and cook at home. Clothing is expensive, particularly Western-style clothes.
Housing
Seoul’s housing market is one of the expensive in South Korea. Housing is quite affordable in outlying areas of Seoul.
The selection, and availability of housing in Korea are very limited. Some areas are popular with foreign families and some are for average income families.
Most Koreans live in apartments; in Seoul, these are typically high-rise apartments.
Students and young professionals often choose to live in studio apartments (one-room) found near universities and business districts. These apartments are quite small.
Rental properties usually have some basic appliances including refrigerator, stove and washing machine. In addition to the rent, expect to pay for heating, air conditioning, electricity and/or gas, water, and television.
Transportation
Domestic travel across South Korea is relatively inexpensive. Short domestic airline flights connect the major cities. Numerous passenger trains cross the Korean Peninsula. Intercity buses are perhaps the most popular way to travel around the country. Nearly all towns in South Korea have regional bus service, and the country’s public transportation system is well-developed and modern.
Public Transportation: Excellent networks of subways and public buses make getting around in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon and Daegu easy and inexpensive. Seoul’s subway system, the Seoul Metro, is the second best in the world. It is widely used, boasting 5.6 million riders per day. Its cars are extremely clean, well maintained and safe. Signs are in Korean, English, and Chinese. And, the lines are all color coded.
Taxi: Taxis are plentiful, clean and affordable. They are available at taxi stands, can be hailed on the street or reserved in advance, which costs more. In Seoul, both regular and deluxe (mobeom taeks) taxis are available. They are also more expensive than regular taxis. Special international taxis have drivers who can speak English, Chinese or Japanese. They operate on a reservation basis. But, while more drivers are now multilingual, it’s a good idea to have your destination written in Korean.
Car: With reliable, affordable public transportation available, it is not necessary to have a car. But, the country also has an excellent network of expressways and highways. Road signs are in both English and Korean, as well as in Chinese on main roads.
Medical Care/Health Insurance
South Korea has excellent medical care with state-of-the-art equipment and high-quality service, especially in the larger cities such as Busan and Seoul. In fact, South Korea is becoming an increasingly important medical tourism destination. Both public and private healthcare are available.
The National Health Insurance (NHI) is a mandatory, universal national health insurance program operated by Korean Ministry of Health. Foreign nationals must enroll in the program unless they have equal coverage from the national insurance in their home country or by insurance provided by an employer. To participate in the NHI system, foreign nationals must first have an Alien Registration Card (ARC).
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