How Much Do Foreigners In Korea Make? [Seoul] | Street Interview

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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this video do not represent that of Asian Boss or the general foreigner community in South Korea.
0:00 - Home country & years working in Korea
0:34 - Job & salary
5:13 - Is your salary enough to get by?
10:55 - Ideal salary in Korea
13:45 - Highest-paying jobs for foreigners in Korea
16:33 - Is there a glass ceiling for foreigners working in Korea?
19:16 - Advice for people interested in working in Korea
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[@Pary_adventures]

Hello I'm Parnika. I'm the Indian girl in the brown coat! Thank you for having me Asian boss! It was such a pleasure.

[@winola5156]

You are gorgeous😍 I am wondering if you struggle with making ends meet in the months when you are only making 500usd. I want to get a better picture how much the cost of living is in SK.

[@expatanna]

I’m the editor! Thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit of my perspective on life in Seoul. Loved hearing about everyone’s experiences here. 😊

[@kowboyinkorea]

Hi! Where from the states are you from? I find the cost of living lower here in the states, so curious to hear more about your experience.

[@samis7427]

work-life-balance is where it's at. good work is usually rewarded with more work.

[@eashgha]

한국 생활에 밝으시면 아시겠지만 한국에서 월 $2,000 초반대를 급여로 받는다는 것의 의미는.. 누구나 할 수 있는 일을 한다는 것을 한다는 것입니다. 한국인과 결혼한 외국인들도 영주권 이상을 취득하고 지인, 정보도 생기면 한국돈으로 월 250만원~300만원은 교육수준과 상관 없이 잘 찾아 갑니다.. $2,000은... 사실상 착취, 교육 수준도 보지 않고, 학력도 의미 없고, 누가 와도 대체 가능한 일을 해도 보장 받는 법적인 최저임금을 말합니다.. 이는 사실상 자신의 직업적 가치를 전혀 평가 받고 있지 못하고 있는 임금입니다. 저는 서울에 있는 외국인들의 급여 수준을 듣고..... 충격을 받았습니다... 미국 변호사분이 그냥 평범한 중견기업에서 일하고 있는 저보다도 연봉이 낮아요.. 한국 제가 알고 있는 변호사분들은 $100,000 이상의 연봉을 받습니다. 보통 대기업 다니시는 분들이나 전문직은 서울에서 그정도는 받거든요.. 왜일까 생각해보면... 한국은 전세계 최저의 출산율을 기록하고 있고, 정말 많은 외국인 노동자들을 들여오려고 노력하는 상황이라.. 상대적으로 한국어를 읽고 쓰는 것에 능숙하고 한국의 상황을 알고 99%가 고등학교 이상의 학력, 60%이상이 대학 이상의 학력을 갖고 있고 한국인들의 취업율을 사실상 원하면 직업을 갖는 0%에 수렴합니다. 현실적인 외국인 노동자를 구하는 이유는 한국인들이 기피하는 일자리를 상대적으로 저임금으 구하기 때문에, 취업비자를 내어 주는 경우가 대부분입니다. 그러면서 영주권도 주지 않고, 대부분 자국으로 돌아갑니다.. 이런 현실을 알면, 여행하기는 $대비 원화 가치가 평가 절하 되어 있는 수출중심국가라.. 좋지만, 취업하고 살기에는 만만치 않을 것 같다고 생각합니다.

[@adamoliver4094]

I enjoyed your interview the most. I appreciated your honesty. I liked the idea of writing things out and evaluating your expectations. I worked overseas in central Asia in my late twenties and while I viewed it as a mostly positive experience, I had some rough days too!

[@expatanna]

@@kowboyinkorea hi hi! Thanks for your question. :) I'm originally from the Chattanooga, TN area where the average rent alone is about $1,400/month. Also, I LOVE budgets so here's your warning to save yourself while you can. This is gonna be... thorough. In Seoul, I pay about $475/month for rent, utilities are around $100, and phone/internet is $40. I don't need a car since I have plenty of public transportation options (no car payment or insurance), eating out is typically about $8-$10 per meal (no tips, hallelujah amen), I spend around $150-$200 on groceries a month, health insurance is $75/month, and if I do need to visit the doctor its typically less than $15 for the visit and prescription. Since this is Korea, of course I regularly lose my mind at Olive Young, Daiso, and nights out at noraebang. All-in, my monthly expenses are just over $1,000 and I'm able to save a pretty good chunk of my paycheck. Of course, everyone is different. But if I were to copy/paste this same budget AND standard of living to Chattanooga or a similar city, I would barely be able to rent a room in someone's house and wouldn't be able to get sick -- ever. So that's the perspective I was coming from in my answer. Again, thanks for engaging in this topic and I would love to hear more about your experience!

[@mariainkorea]

Thank you so much for having me. It was very interesting to watch the other people who were also interviewed!

[@yoyaserdx]

안녕하세요🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️

[@Stevepledge]

I would love to move to Korea

[@d2master2040]

I am the computer business guy in the video. It was very interesting to see other people’s responses. Great video!

[@mondaynightlove3875]

Great to listen to your story. It inspired me as my situation is a little similar to yours currently. I was wondering if you can explain a simple outline on how you started your business or if not are you hiring? Lol I have Cyber Sec and Networking background. Also legally allowed to work in S.K.

[@d2master2040]

@@mondaynightlove3875 Thanks for following! My story is long but I did an interview 4 years ago on a different channel that details my journey: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jomvaoVqi6qbadU

[@rigelr5345]

Ohh was just thinking I wish I could ask him more specifics about what his business is about. What exactly is it you're selling or earning money from? Kind of curious. If you don't mind the question ofc.

[@d2master2040]

@@rigelr5345 computer sales and repair. You can google the business name on the shirt I was wearing:)

[@ferryhongdaeoppa4978]

Hi, curios with your business, Im planning to do the same business concept here in Korea for Indonesian community here.

[@MissyASTB]

I'm the first lady in the video! Such a dream to be in an Asian Boss video 🥰🥺💕

[@asl6304]

You are so beautiful! I think that's why you were the thumbnail ~

[@MissyASTB]

@@asl6304 aww thank youu

[@moinximoya]

Agree about the thumbnail. What a charming personality and :)

[@Stevepledge]

You look good

[@bi23]

You reminded me of Amal Coloney

[@virtjeon]

Yooo it’s phil. I got a computer from u like 3-4 years ago and u were so nice and accommodating!! Glad ur still doing great!

[@dannyo7376]

Same here! Phil was and is great!

[@Mo-sv3tc]

I don't plan on moving to Korea, but this was interesting and informative. Thanks to all the individuals who shared their personal experiences and Asian Boss for posting this up.

[@carolinaho4602]

Wow! This is such an informative and relevant video to reality! Good questions and revealing answers! The situation sounds relatively similar to my country as well. Thank you for sharing!

[@Evangelly06]

Thank you for all your hardwork! Really interesting info. =D

[@denisng7423]

I respect the honesty from everyone. Really gives a good perspective of living in Korea. Thanks!

[@nerd26373]

Well done, Asian Boss. Impressive coverage makes a huge difference.

[@aaronissohot]

I like the vibe of the girl who's an editor/copywriter, very nice responses to the questions and very well detailed(?)?? haha great video overall guys!

[@koki_yoo]

she's very articulate.

[@gregory4154]

Ok man, I'm hooked. Many of us, myself included, appreciate the information you are sharing. This is an awesome channel.

[@savfromsopn]

I lived in Korea for 2 years as an English teacher (2017-2019) and made around $1600 a month after taxes. Back in the US (still teaching), I make around $3000 a month after taxes and retirement savings. I miss the convenience and how much there was to do in Korea, but I could never financially justify going back. The cost of living was comparable to me between the US and Korea (of course my current place of living in the US is a lot nicer than where I lived in Korea, so it's more expensive), so the salary difference makes it so much easier to save for my future.

[@huyquoctran2088]

You must love korea to sacrifice the higher pay in america

[@eashgha]

최저임금을 받으셨네요. 4대보험을 제외하면 세금도 거의 내지 않는 수준이고, 10대가 집 근처 편의점 아르바이트도 한달에 그정도 받습니다...... 한국에서 영어교사의 입지를 보여주네요;;

[@Bluepanda555]

@@huyquoctran2088 easier to be an English teacher in Korea than America... 😊

[@DrTinKorea]

Good video…. More of these!

[@user-qh6cj9ox1j]

Hello, I'm the first guy who passed by in the street while interviewing them on your video. Thank you for having me, Asian boss!

[@goonerdoy]

Great video team - the American teacher was very articulate and I totally agree, Work-Life balance FTW❕️❕️❕️ Anyone know where the Asian guy in glasses is from ❓️

[@d2master2040]

Computer guy is from New York City

[@goonerdoy]

@@d2master2040 cheers, looks like a chinese background❓️

[@wormemc]

I lived in Korea for 14 years. I love hearing these opinions and experiences. I really enjoyed my life in Korea.

[@Msal19]

Shoutout to the Asian guy with glasses, getting married and having a kid at such a young age and creating a successful business.

[@dt21467]

Surprised how low the US qualified attorney's salary is.

[@michelleg7]

If he did freelance probably not but we don't really know what he does there

[@kenichi407]

well, lawyers are sort of dime a dozen... literally hundreds of law schools in the U.S. pumping out thousands of law school grads yearly. having a US law degree and moving/working in Korea isn't really the first option for many, but i guess times are tough...

[@Henry_Jr_Watsson]

In The Netherlands (extremely wealthy, west-european country), a state attorney makes even less. A couple of years ago, one female, young attorney decided to just go do only fans instead. Attorneys make here around 2.5-3k Euro/month after taxes. Pay does go up with decades of experience, but the starting pay just is sad. Also, taxes are absolutely brutal. If you make 70k or more, you already end up in the 50% bracket :/

[@sotecluxan4221]

How many hrs/day?

[@Bokgat]

Americans don’t know how good they have it. In Asia we import US’s crap inflation. Disgrace the US

[@andrewstewart5195]

I've been in Korea since 2002 (22 years). It's been as university instructor for 21 of those. If you get a job at a good university, you can make a good salary, and if you know your away around, the potential is there is earn much more... 8.5-9 million very much possible.

[@jlee324]

I’m stunned. These salaries (as well as per the Japan interview) are terribly low, as if salaries have been stagnant for years. I would hope people are taking time to gain financial literacy towards a more secure future, especially as most the jobs these ppl work will be redundant as technology scales across economic sectors.

[@user-ig5wx6mz5r]

The situation is different in Japan and Korea. In Japan, the salary has hardly changed since 30 years ago, but South Korea has more than doubled in the past 30 years.

[@simonsimon935]

Well, it's because the media often shows us the sucessful ones, so we tend to think that others live better, richer lives.

[@azraelthebomb]

@@user-ig5wx6mz5r not for foreigners. Pay for English teachers stagnated for 20+ years or went down in some instances. It recently started to go up because the minimum wage was increased and teachers would have been earning below minimum wage.

[@user-uskxnfiw729]

Salaries are low for foreigners because the jobs are limited for them. On the other hand, if they interviewed at a different city where tech companies are, their salaries would have been much higher. Koreans make double of Taiwanese and also more than Japanese in general.

[@supertotoro]

Yes, the salaries are no where near keeping up with inflation. Our salaries are shrinking every year that passes :(

[@user-vb6ko5tw2q]

Most of the people interviewed came to Korea not for money but for adventure. In fact, it would be difficult if you had no income at all, but as long as you have a certain amount of income, it is not difficult to enjoy a comfortable city life in a completely different country. There are various options depending on your income. And since the situation is different in each country, it probably doesn't make much sense to ask how much the salary is.

[@chinavirus841]

Korean bully me

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

Korea is the country with the highest minimum wage in Asia. It has been 10 years since Korea surpassed Japan in minimum wage. And in Japan, foreigners' salaries are fixed, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary as Koreans.

[@winnerwinnerchickendinner8809]

Adventure? Get real who da hack will go there and spent ungodly on foods and rent

[@dengist8172]

LOL 0:34 the Italian guy really speaks with his hands

[@hahhsshs]

The salary for Indonesians is around $300-$700 a month, but the salary for foreign workers in Indonesia is around $2000-$40000 a month,With the average cost of living in Indonesia being around $300-$700 a month, foreign KZbinrs' income in Indonesia is around $4000-$60,000 a month, not including other income such as product endorsements,LO South Korean K-Pop idols, MC of South Korean K-Pop idol events in Indonesia and others, income of foreign entrepreneurs in Indonesia around $90000-$600 Million a Month

[@Nomadsou]

It's quite interesting to watch this video after seeing that job posting from Asian Boss, looking for a video editor or something similar, with extensive experience, fluent in English and based in Seoul, for a minimal salary...

[@Hardyier]

As an American who has lived all over the US (last in NYC) and now lives in Korea for the past 4 years, the most accurate thing in this video is the ridiculous price of fruits and vegetables at the supermarket. It’s no joke that grapes can be $20+ dollars. Vegetables are not as outrageous but the fruit prices are insane. That said, they are almost always delicious. In the US, it’s hit or miss no matter the cost. WRT housing, you can find cheaper and affordable places as long as you manage your expectations. For instance, it is possible to get a decent apartment for $800 per month but it won’t be in Gangnam and you still have to pay a big deposit but you get that back at the end. Over all, everything is much cheaper in Korea except for fruit and a cup of tea (another outrageous scam - it’s a bag of tea! why is it $6 ?!).

[@ellaa946]

How do you ensure to get your deposit back?

[@Hardyier]

@@ellaa946 there's a whole system, where it's registered by the local district and get documents as proof.

[@NikkuJaga]

coming from singapore, it definitely is a shock to see how the locals in my own country are complaining of low salaries and rising costs. Travelling to korea and seeing the costs there and thinking how i would cope with the salary from this video is tough man.

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

Korea is the country with the highest minimum wage in Asia. It has been 10 years since Korea surpassed Japan in minimum wage. And in Japan, foreigners' salaries are fixed, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary as Koreans.

[@SaharshJeetSingh]

Is it just me or do the frames drop at 2:50 ?

[@JoseReyes-yn3xj]

I moved to Korea about two months ago now. At first, it was awful. The learning curve from working in politics to teaching in a hagwon was crazy. But I made it work, and things seem to be going alright now :)

[@xiphoid2011]

I'm a Chinese student to immigrated to the US. For some reason I was always under the impression incomes in Korea would be almost as much as in the US, maybe 70-80% US. Watching this video, I'm really surprised just how much lower it actually is. It's more like 40-50%. I guess this is an example how Korea's soft power affect worldwide perception.

[@yyy67win]

How is China?I know the average salary is lower than we are but also the price of things is cheaper

[@yyy67win]

And as your saying of softpower I think all developed countries has their own national image that they can promote. People from developing countries strongly believe in those illusions and visit,but whether it is Korea,US,Europe, many things are below expectations. China in population sector is following our(🇰🇷) footsteps and will suffer a population shrink.l hope you guys could also build up China's soft power and are able to boost your population. Have a nice day

[@czemuczemuczemu1958]

It’s eye-opening

[@donjiedonjiedonjie]

why do I keep hearing My Heart Will Go On in the background across interviewees multiple times?

[@d1am0nds]

😅😅😅😂😂😂😂

[@swschilke]

I wonder what maker and model the microphone is? Kind regards

[@anthonymc8361]

I lived in Korea for 2 years and earned enough to feel comfortable with my modest lifestyle. Many people I met chose to stay in Korea mostly for the experience. If you are ambitious and want to earn big bucks and have a better career path while exploring Asia, you wouldn't go to Korea, Japan, or even China, you would go to Singapore.

[@Razear]

If a company uses # of work hours as the primary criterion for awarding promotions rather than tangible accomplishments and productivity, all that contributes to is further bureaucratic fluff. Valuing the perception of hard work over actual results will only hamper the company's own bottom-line.

[@uludak8468]

probably a subjective, biased view of that lady who thinks the quality of her work is better than that of her local co workers

[@rickyayy]

Lol welcome to Asia

[@BuffPomsky]

Yup, welcome to asian culture. You're also expected to stay later than everyone else if you're younger. Auto respect to all older ppl as well. It's why even though im korean, id never wanna live nor work in korea. My kids will def go to school in America as well. Korean food though is undeniably the best haha

[@Zwervv]

And here we are in the US clamoring for 4 day work week lol

[@CyberMew]

What’s the minimum wage to get a visa sponsorship there? The guy didn’t mention it or the reporter didn’t ask

[@BigHeadAvenger]

I learned long ago, to never go anywhere without the means to go back home. That way, you won't be forced to endure situations you desparately need to get out of.

[@crimson_sky]

19:48 does this include completing a Korean language program at university or just normal degrees?

[@Huawei_Jiang]

I think, probably, is the normal degree.

[@massimokim]

"When I am 30, I will have my life together", this hit me hard, turning 31 this year 😅

[@XeclipseXZ]

Are the numbers people are saying before tax or after tax? For example in Japan people tend to give numbers in gross salary as in 基本給与. What about South Korea ?

[@JS-mb2cx]

I think if it‘s monthly salary, it‘s net, and if it‘s yearly income, it‘s usually before tax. So here people often say ‚after university, you can only expect 2.5mil Korean won usually, which means after tax 2.5mil korean won

[@worldcollides4197]

稅後. After tax.

[@grow1820]

If they are talking about monthly income it is usually after tax, yearly income it is before tax.

[@yor519]

There’s not one Filipino migrant worker interviewed. I wonder why.

[@claporga]

I had no idea you could have a comfortable life with the wages I am hearing in this video. I will be moving to Korea soon!

[@golferdan906]

Phil!!!

[@charleslewis375]

19:50 Leaving aside this video,there are many countries in the world that require much more than a degree if you want to stay there and find a job.Sometimes you can't even find an average level job

[@jakoflynn2560]

Low earnings over there how much do locals earn?

[@rewghob]

It seems like every female westerner who goes to Korea is a model, whereas opportunities in the West would be much more limited. Many of these people have lived in Korea for a loooonnnnngggg time. I guess there must be something to recommend it if people are staying 5+ years. I thought it would be very hard to find a job outside of teaching over there, so I'd like to know how they got their jobs, how they found working and living over there for so long.

[@pingpongdonkeykongkong]

As an expat in China I still think the salaries here are higher than in other parts of Asia. Especially for teachers. I live a very good life here, own a very nice car, go travel when I want to, go out when I want, never have to calculate what I spend, nice spacious apartment, able to save - all with money I earn here. I’d say China is a good option for those wanting to live and work in Asia, especially if you are a teacher - the salaries are competitive.

[@Huawei_Jiang]

so, how much did you earn in China?

[@Genericperson658]

But the cost of living evens it out - so ya’ll are all basically getting paid the same thing lol

[@tomking5290]

@@Genericperson658 no, the life he described sounds much more comfortable than that of an English teacher in Korea

[@chiamakawatanabe3199]

@@Genericperson658 Teachers are paid better in China, even taking into account cost of living. The market is much larger, and there is a general supply-demand imbalance, leading to competitive salaries. In addition, earning more money in a higher cost of living area is better than earning less money in a lower cost of living area, as your money goes much further when you move around. That being said, there is a lot of compromise when you work in China. The money is better, but you give up a lot in terms of freedom, access, and work-life balance.

[@chiamakawatanabe3199]

@@Huawei_Jiang Currently, teachers in tier 1 cities can easily find positions for 25-30k RMB a month, with good benefits like housing subsidies, insurance, travel stipends, etc. Entrepreneurial-minded individuals can supplement that with part-time work like tutoring, making 200-300 RMB / hour on the low end. Even in the smallest cities, teachers can still make 15-20k/month, where the cost of living is a fraction of those in larger cities. Many foreigners have left China after the COVID-years debacle, therefore supply of teachers has dwindled. Plus, while the private sector is willing to bend over backwards for them, the government has treated foreign nationals with increasing animosity over the years.

[@vkkl6213]

Hmm surprised how so many foreigners are keen to work in Korea when the pay is pretty low (based on what they are sharing from these interviews). The expats in my home country (Singapore) usually gets paid way more than the locals in contrast - at least 5 digits (USD) or high 4 digits (USD)

[@LLcreates]

This is a common misunderstanding that foreign expats gets paid more in Singapore. As a business owner in Singapore. It is actually incredibly challenging to hire foreigners against locals in the same job field. Also, you have to sort of prove that you aren't able to hire locals to fill up those roles. Employment pass and levies will kill the employers first (in the high thousands per month for each expat), so Singaporeans in general actually get a much higher take home pay than foreigners in the same job. I'm thinking the regulation is about the same in Korea in this case, just that their average income is a lot lower.

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

Korea is the country with the highest minimum wage in Asia. It has been 10 years since Korea surpassed Japan in minimum wage. And in Japan, foreigners' salaries are fixed, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary as Koreans.

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

Singapore is not a country.

[@vkkl6213]

@@user-sc4ui6rp6j"Singapore is not a country". What??

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

@@vkkl6213 yes Singapore is not a country

[@emet17s]

Shocked by the low salary, tbh. And the COL doesn’t differ much from the US (excl NY & CA)

[@danyoyoh]

The local currency (krw) has lost a lot of value since 2020. So, all the salaries are low in USD terms

[@LianaBuzea]

Wow, the English woman (beautiful, by the way) was so open with her income. And, as a freelancer (in coaching in my case) I can relate to the income she mentioned. Even though I don't live in Korea. I very much appreciate this video. Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@SJ-mo1fs]

Both my son and I are teachers. After graduating in South Africa, he went to Korea. He earns almost 3 times my salary and I am a department head. I don't want him to return home as a teacher's salary in South Africa sucks.

[@danyoyoh]

See this is the irony of paper currencies. An American teacher in korea is earning minimum wage or less in USD (1.8-2k/mo) but a South African or Filipino is earning quite a bit compared to their local currency

[@angedeebest]

Sounds so less but, they looked so happy & contented! 😍

[@kristinef.petersen1728]

Salaries are low compare to Scandinavia, when you think about that food in Korea and in Scandinavia cost same prices. But lodgement prices are lower, I guess.

[@instaves]

Korea food is pretty cheap when I went there, which country specifically in Scandinavia? I heard it was expensive over there?

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

In exchange for a high salary, you have to pay a lot of taxes in your country.

[@zaireyljedgelua4995]

I’ve recently watched vlogs of Filipino factory workers in Korea and they make 2-3million won/month, sometimes almost 4M when they work overtime. It’s high compared to the wages in the PH but I thought that maybe it’s still low in Korea’s standard, and those in the other industries are earning better. But this video showed me that they’re earning pretty much the same.

[@user-sc4ui6rp6j]

Do you think the salary is low at Korean standards? Korea is the country with the highest salaries among well-established countries in Asia. They even receive higher salaries than in Japan. In Japan, the salary for foreigners is fixed, while in Korea, foreigners and Koreans receive the same salary. Are you still dissatisfied?

[@polster2]

Even the lawyer makes a very small salary ($4,450/M) compared to the same job in America! Its all relative to the cost of living but that lawyer if he had the same salary in America would be considered lower middle class.

[@hjkloj]

He is considered middle class in Korea as well. He makes so little for an attorney in Korea. The minimum wage in Korea is $7.80. And avergae income for lawyers in Korea is over $100,000. The average salary for Koreans is about $40,000 a year. I don't think there are much demand for the U.S. licensed attorneys in Korea.

[@svvardhan1997]

The amount of money the pharmaceutical companies doctors and surgeon make is crazy and as well as scary we prefer to travel to home country to get treatment In Usa for me the most hated thing is it healthcare system it really sucks

[@lbell9695]

He makes the same amount as me and I'm fresh out of university T T

[@kenichi407]

well, you have to take into consideration the sample set here. these are foreigners in korea, a land where "normal" jobs aren't easily given to foreigners. most foreigners surviving in korea do so by either : teaching, working in an "english" related job (i.e. editing), or freelancing. most korean firms will not even hire foreigners unless you're super fluent in korean and have specialized skills. unfortunately, the reality is many foreigners who make it to korea are those still "figuring out their calling", and sorta killing time.

[@jiminswriter4209]

@@kenichi407You need to be fluent in the local language or have specialized skills to get a good job in any country.

[@mrfst_eng]

The Indian girl is insanely pretty So is the English girl I hope it's appropriate to say

[@johnlesoudeur3653]

Yes they are but with make up...what about without. They seem very nice people though.

[@AsitdyaDsr]

I fee for the Italian guy who want to have some Vegitables and fruit. In India food items are so cheap as we grown everything in abundance. Salaries are very less compared to Korea but housing and other expenses are less too. Bonus is staying with you Mr friends and family. 😊

[@TheMightyDucksFlyTogether]

fun place to travel, not too easy to live

[@TheSaneMongrels]

Yo, is that Danny from DKDKTV @3:30?

[@Mokawoo]

No…..he’s talking about how he’s strugggling in Korea and dktv get a lot of income from their vidoes lol

[@TheSaneMongrels]

@@Mokawoo Nah, Danny took a break from KZbin and DKDKTV a while ago.

[@TheSaneMongrels]

@@Mokawoo Although, now that I'm looking into it, it looks like he started running a video production company with a friend where they've recently made K-Pop music videos among other things. So, I guess not teaching.

[@PWiddly]

That Italian bro was passionate about his groveries

[@beltrangarrote1982]

As a Spaniard I totally get him. We are used to fresh veggies for a bargain

[@bmsnow]

If you saw the price of fruit here (coming from Europe at least), you would probably be too

[@butter5144]

😂​@@bmsnow

[@anthonymc8361]

Coming from a country where fruits and veggies are considered poor-people food because how cheap they are here, being in Korea for 1 year was an absolute madness for me. The prices of agricultural products there are just..... bad. The guy's response is justified.

[@czemuczemuczemu1958]

Imagine not being able to chose your favorite greens! 😢

[@montelkim]

Wow, I work in Silicon Valley here in San Francisco bay area and my pay is $18,000 USD a month. That's 24 million Korean won a month. Basically, if I move to Korea and work remotely with my Silicon Valley paycheck, I'd be really comfortable. Here in Silicon Valley, what I make is pretty much what most engineers here make. It's nothing special. But regular old houses that's nothing special go for $1.5 million here.

[@jlee324]

Probably not the best comparison. I lived in SF (from NYC). I’m also in tech. And Silicon Valley is an anomaly and nowhere in the world is similar as a business sector (eg tech). Even tech in NYC pays (slightly) less, but costs can be even higher there than SF (of course personal lifestyle matters).

[@jimmyneutron3055]

If u move to Seoul, your pay will be adjusted to Google Microsoft Korea wage. Company pay based on your residency that’s how they deduct your state and local taxes as well. If you live in Florida but work for a SFO based company, your biweekly deduction has a portion going to Florida.

[@d1am0nds]

What job do you do?

[@jlee324]

@@d1am0ndsI’m in tech.

[@pkhaloobonaccio9883]

if you work remote you ain't getting cali wages bro , they will argue that it would be best to give that salary to someone that actually lives in the usa

[@MikeCo-ge7nz]

American: we are over worked and underpaid! Foreign Americans: First time being overworked and underpaid? We are barely able to get by.

[@huyquoctran2088]

Japan is even more overworked than america lol. Like way way more

[@mmfong297]

Asian Americans in the US should be grateful what they are making in the US..

[@missalicesmiles]

Salaries in America are probably one of the highest in the world. People in western Europe and Canada would probably find 200k TC in tech to be on the higher end. I imagine that would be amazing for Korea? Not so much here

[@nemesisbreakz]

A two income household would be much more comfortable.

[@huyquoctran2088]

They must be happy for their lower pay compare to the same job title in america. Its consider low income in a lot of state in america

[@jimmyneutron3055]

Coz they were or are koreanboo. They chasing their oubaaa and eoonniiis

[@paoslice]

Celine Dion in the background 😂

[@KobeToddirt]

is this gross income or net income ? how much are income tax in Seoul ?

[@hannesRSA]

Damn, thought i was broke

[@akunmod6854]

yo the indonesian lady earns made me proud as indonesian

[@hjkloj]

The avergae income in Korea is $40,000. The foreigners don't understand how little they are all making.. $2,200 a month? That's what I used to make 15 years ago in my early 20s working at some gym doing some random stuff... Is Korea exploiting foreigners?? U.S attorney making $40,000 a year? .. Man, I feel bad for them. Someone's gotta check if they are getting paid right. It doesn't sound right.

[@lbell9695]

With $40,000 USD p.a, they definitely wouldn't survive in my city (Sydney). Here you need at least $65k-$70k USD to survive. Rents here literally cost like $40k USD p.a.

[@spicykimchi1]

Thanks for your input. I used to make good money as a teacher in Korea (2,500,000 a month), but that was way back in 2007. The exchange rates were good, and things were kind of cheap. I've been in China for years. In late 2022, I was curious about Korea and looked into the GEPIK teaching program for a March 2022 start. However, the pay was pathetic - 2.0 or 2.2 at most. No way!

[@uludak8468]

OECD average annual wage 2022 (USD) USA: 77463 Germany: 58940 OECD average: 53416 South Korea: 48922 Italy: 44893 Japan: 41509

[@JW-rj6dx]

Because much of that average salary is based on people running businesses and white collar jobs which most of the foreigners in these interviews are not in, except for the lawyer. Korea is a very very competitive society, unless you are smart enough to get a top level job in tech or engineering, you are not gonna get paid much. I mean entertainment and teaching english are low paid jobs anywhere. Korea isn't short of doctors, lawyers or accountants any time soon. Its like this all over east asia, korea being a little more difficult i think

[@9y2bgy]

This is after tax. Not sure what tax bracket this lawyer is under. Does he have to pay in both countries? Anyone got info on that?

[@_ifrit]

they're getting 7k usd a month and having issues with surviving and im here surviving barely on like 2500

[@hannahannah650]

I'm not sure why, but lawyers in SK always mention their income after tax. His income is 6 million per month after tax, which means he earn approximately 100 million won per year before tax, approximately $73,321. And won value is terribly low right now, so..

[@MartyrShadow]

I am glad I am paid in USD here 😂

[@kurtcobain5294]

yellow coat lady is so chill, id love to hang out with her

[@eekay3646]

Only the housing is cheaper in Korea. Everything else is just as expensive as the U.S., except maybe street food; street food in the U.S. is kinda pricey, though that's ironic, because street food is synonymous with being cheap.

[@JL-vk6pg]

3:29 Go Blue!

[@ViRrOorR]

I mean its not a lot.. cus theres taxes right? And housing in korea is expensive right?

[@yoyaserdx]

Yes, housing prices in Seoul are expensive. (But I think it will be relatively cheaper than major cities in the United States) I think there are many foreigners who live on monthly rent or jeonse. jeonse : Type of housing lease that gives a deposit before entering the house and gets it back later.

[@sarahm9813]

Yeah house and food are expensive

[@apark8787]

In Korea, people often quote their salaries AFTER taxes. And the general rule for living cost conversion for Korea to USA is 1.5X. So the US attorney in Korea is making the equivalent of around $125K/salary in USA.

[@kalmtraveler]

What's interesting is when I plug my US city vs Seoul average costs of living in, Seoul is only about 10% cheaper but the salaries are around 1/2 to 1/4 average.

[@apark8787]

@@kalmtraveler its closer to 30% cheaper. I suspect the methodology you used is converting real estate prices, like $/sqft. The average 1,500sqft apartment in Seoul is around a million USD. But rents are quite cheap, like $800/month for a nice studio in downtown Gangnam.

[@kalmtraveler]

@@apark8787 it really just depends on the areas. You can check for yourself, compare Salt Lake City to Seoul cost of living.

[@9y2bgy]

@@kalmtraveler Why SLC? Is it the most expensive place in the US? I ask bc Seoul is the most expensive place in SK as far as I know, at least in terms of the real estate...

[@apark8787]

@@kalmtraveler fair enough, but i was comparing NY/SF/LA to Seoul. I would compare SLC to like Busan.

[@NonPensavo]

When you move to Korea, or rather Seoul, you need to accept the idea of having to rent all your life and that its reality for everyone. If you want to buy a house of your dreams, it wont be in Seoul or any other attractive place. Rent is cheaper than other developed countries (deposit is returned 100%, and often reduced if you explain you are foreigner, no guarantor or key money or other weird things to pay), and especially for OVER-developed country like S. Korea. Lived & worked there as Software Engineer (~7m) for 7years before moving to Japan.

[@danyoyoh]

All the ppl saying these salaries are so low ---- KRW has lost about 40% vs USD since Rona. So, everything will look very low in dollar terms. Same situation in Japan. You have doctors and lawyers making 3k a month (but high amount in yen)

[@Th3OmegaPoint]

Are these figures gross or net of tax?

[@bluegodofspeed]

Please keep salary at the bottom. At least for me, I can't remember exactly how much they make, so when they expand on their answers I don't have the context.

[@Harry-tf3kn]

How come when I was in Korea for 2 months I never net a foreigner!?

[@Bagellatte]

Very low salary for foreigners in korea 😅..although cost of living is lower compared to other countries but it's relative because you earn less you spend less

[@epeyp9565]

2 hrs before this time bukas

[@armena8199]

Wow those salaries are insanely low.

[@danyoyoh]

In USD, yes. But if u are from Argentina, Philippines, etc....pretty high

[@Ersanba]

The salary is low, it is not cheap livinb in korea

[@eddy41617]

As American, where does she spend more than avg Koreans on groceries? Koreans spends 28% of their budget on groceries, which almost 3x more than avg Americans.

[@Genericperson658]

What if she doesn’t eat like an average American ?

[@eddy41617]

@@Genericperson658 Well she should be super obese if that's the case.

[@ittotaq]

what about foreigners that look like the country that they are in?

[@danyoyoh]

SE asians?

[@shinlanten]

End results > hours clocked Should be how promotions are given...but not in Korea I guess 🤦

[@anngo4140]

Dang, considering the cost of living, they're doing alright, no? Especially that one dude making like $7400 a month.

[@d2master2040]

I'm doing alright. I have two kids from a previous marriage so I am not driving around in a Lambo.

[@kenichi407]

i guess the editor doesn't eat fruits and vegetables...while the italian dude does

[@graciousdignity7547]

I wish your channel team employee would be taken the consent from all foreigners who have been done a street interview.

[@loserchoi]

Unless you are a super elite, it will be difficult to find a job outside of English teachers in Korea.

[@stillcovalent]

Mostly models and English teachers 😄

[@skylinec83]

White lady from US - her comments are on point and educated responses.

[@grokker99]

Well, the dollar hasnt been this strong against the KRW or YEN in decades, so add 20-30% to the USD salary stated. Plus, the rent system is completely different than the US. Most Americans spend more 20-40% of their salary on rent. In Korea, you pay a deposit and get the entire amount back when you move, so the percentage of salary spent on rent is less, Not to mention the higher costs in the US for car payment, insurance, health insurance, eating out, tax, tip, state tax/federal tax, property tax, tuition, cable/internet/phone, capital gains tax (capital gains tax on stocks is virtually nil.), etc etc. So, in the end, earning $75-80K in Korea or is the probably the equivlent of earning $100-120K in the states.

[@loganflatt]

I can assure you the capital gains tax is not “virtually nil”. Short term capital gains can be as high as 37%. Long term capital gains can be as high as 20%. These are material amounts!

[@grokker99]

@@loganflatton stocks/investment products.

[@loganflatt]

@@grokker99 Yes, capital gains on stocks, bonds, real estate, domain names, collectibles, etc are all taxed the same.

[@danyoyoh]

Cap gains on anything foreign is 22% Even if you have an ETF with 1 foreign stock, thats a foreign investment and gains taxed at 22% Korean stock gains are tax free up to 50m won per yr

[@kowboyinkorea]

I’m curious where that American girl is from in the states when she says the cost of living is higher there. In my experience, housing, groceries, petrol, taxes are all lower in the US in many states and cities. I agree with her that eating out is cheaper in Korea, but groceries (especially meat and produce) are cheaper in the U.S. So if your disciplined enough to cook at home, US is cheaper in that category. Excluding the major cities, I’d think US is lower cost of living. Definitely in Texas it is. And salaries are way higher.

[@jlee324]

But the equivalent to Seoul would be the major cities for comparison - centers for business and culture - eg NYC, LA, SF. In that regard, Seoul is cheaper for most things. In any case, common to all these cities is a growing divide between the rich (getting richer) and the dwindling middle class. Government is broken and corrupt in both the US and Korea.

[@huyquoctran2088]

That depends on which city. Major cities like in california or new york would be more expensive than seoul korea. A tiny house in california cost like x2 combine to a house in texas. I know a few california people that sold 1 house, a small house in San francisco and use that money to buy two bigger house in texas and had spare money to live on….

[@kowboyinkorea]

@@jlee324 I agree that if you were trying to find the living situation that is most comparable to Seoul in the US, you would pick a big city. That is not how she framed her answer though. She just said in a blanket statement that the US in general has a higher cost of living. There are plenty of place in the U.S. where she could do her same job, make more money, and have a lower cost of living.

[@jlee324]

@@kowboyinkorea No, you misread. The original commenter concluded that the US is cheaper aside from major cities. But that’s irrelevant - which is my point - as a fairer comparison would be major cities eg Seoul vs NYC, LA, or SF. Of course you could live in the boondocks in the US, and it’d be cheaper. But major cities eg NYC or LA are closest to compare Seoul as business (and cultural) markets for cost of living between the two countries.

[@kowboyinkorea]

@@jlee324 I am the original commenter. I think you are misunderstanding my original comment. I stated that I am curious where the girl in the video is from in the U.S. because she is making blanket statements that Seoul is cheaper than the US. She did not say “when comparing similar cities”. There are plenty of cities in the US or suburbs of cities in the U.S. with lower cost of living than Seoul that are not in the boondocks.

[@monayunita6163]

The thing about the US actor is, he might not get many gigs in the US. That actually could mean he will earn less because he got less jobs. Being a white guy in Korea gives you more chances and opportunities than being a white guy in US 😅 So it wasn’t comparable. The payment will be higher since the life expenses is also much higher.

[@kabirnegi6882]

My house help here in India earns what the Indian girl earns in Korea. How is she surviving there

[@jinkim23]

"As an English teacher in the US?!?!

[@Genericperson658]

English teachers at this point is a scam