Join InterNations

The world's largest expat community

Your Expat Community in South Korea

  • Connect with fellow expats in South Korea

  • Join exciting events and groups for expats

  • Get information in our expat guides

  • Exchange tips about expat life in South Korea

  • Vladimir Rostev

    InterNations not only helped me finding great business contacts but it moreover helped my family to quickly settle in.

Welcome to Our Network of Expatriates in South Korea!

Hello and hwangyong-hamnida, or welcome, to the community of expats in South Korea! As a truly global community, dedicated to the task of helping expats worldwide settle into their new homes, InterNations offers you the security and assurances you need before setting off on your new life in South Korea. So, if you don’t know your Kimchi (fermented vegetable dish served with almost every South Korean meal) from your Incheon (South Korea’s third-biggest city) or simply want to know the location of the best schools, medical care, or any other amenity in the capital Seoul, then you could seriously benefit from joining InterNations today.

With InterNations, you never stand alone. Whether you are moving to another country or going on a business trip somewhere — our communities around the world are there to make you feel at home wherever you are. Feel free to check out our vibrant InterNations Communities in countries like Bahrain or China.

Jump right in:

Expats moving to South Korea: Your questions answered

If you’re a new or soon-to-be expat in South Korea, you probably aren’t quite sure yet what it will be like. That’s why we gathered the answers to some key questions you may have about life in South Korea. If you want to ask more specific questions — or even share your own tips — join InterNations! You’ll be part of a community of new and experienced expats who love to help each other out.

What are the most common nationalities in South Korea? As an expat in South Korea, you'll meet people from many different cultures (especially if you're an InterNations member!) The top nationalities in the InterNations Communities in South Korea currently are:

  • Americans
  • Canadians
  • British
  • Indians

Which cities are most popular among expats in South Korea? Some cities attract more expats than others. These are the cities with the largest expat communities in South Korea:

  • Seoul
  • Busan
  • Incheon

How much rent do expats pay in South Korea? Your personal situation plays a role here. Single expats spend on average 495 USD on their accommodation per month, while expat families spend around 1.455 USD. And of course, rents can also vary greatly depending on the location and city within South Korea.

To give you an idea of what to expect, here are some rent averages for the most popular cities in South Korea.

Average rent in Seoul

  • Single expats: 811 USD
  • Expat families: 2.645 USD

Average rent in Busan

  • Single expats: 550 USD
  • Expat families: 1.200 USD

Average rent in Incheon

  • Single expats: 278 USD
  • Expat families: 1.213 USD

How safe is South Korea? You may be wondering about safety. In general people perceive their personal safety situation in South Korea as very safe. People rate the risk of falling victim to petty crime (such as pickpocketing or minor theft) as very low. They consider the chance of being the victim of violent crime (including mugging) very low. And, they rate confidence in the police force and related local authorities as very high.

How safe is South Korea for women? Female expats rated the safety situation in South Korea as very safe. This is based on the feedback of expat women living in South Korea (rather than actual crime statistics). So obviously this can be highly subjective and depends on factors such as where people live.

Join Our Online and In-Person Events in South Korea

Attend our many events to get to know like-minded expats, both in South Korea and around the world! Our new online events even let you find connection and inspiration without leaving your home.

Come along on this guided visit to Doseon-sa, Seoul's largest and most important ancient Buddhist temple, for spectacular scenery and observing some interesting traditional artworks. Doseon-sa was fo
안녕하세요 여러분 Please read through: Every member should buy a drink (beer,tea, coffee...) so that we can use their space. Our next official event will be held in a hidden gem near Dongmyo station, an
Apr 6, 2024, 3:00 AM
15 attendees
Long-awaited spring is coming and Seoul is even more beautiful during the cherry blossom season. Come and join us to walk around Seokchon lake under the cherry trees and feel the magic that can't be

Want to see all the upcoming events in South Korea?

Connect with Like-Minded Expatriates in South Korea

  • Community Member
    From Brazil, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Australia, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Turkey, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Russia, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Italy, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Switzerland, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From United States of America, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Brazil, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From India, living in Seoul
  • Community Member
    From Morocco, living in Seoul

Meet other expats like you in South Korea

Our Global Partners

Share your hobbies and interests with expats in South Korea

Embark on Your South Korean Expat Life

South Korea is a fascinating and truly individual country, with its own unique cultural charms. As a leading innovator in many areas of technological advancement, robotics firms, social media companies, and other technology start-ups are doing booming business. With some of the fastest (and getting faster) average internet speeds in the world, South Korea is a haven for nerds and gamers all over the world and is also a big draw for international expats looking for economic opportunities, and a new life, in a new country. Life in South Korea can prove hard to adjust to for many expats, especially Westerners, with cramped (yet thoroughly modern) living conditions in the bigger cities and the lack of international culture the further away from urban centers you go. Luckily, our vibrant and welcoming community in South Korea is here to help, with a friendly group of international people for you to connect with and from whom you can get answers to your questions.

InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities around the world. Meet fellow global minds in your city of residence or get to know local expatriates before you're moving or traveling abroad and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Australia or United States of America, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.

Get to Know Interesting People Even before You Move to South Korea

South Korean culture is friendly, with co-workers and neighbors taking a keen interest in getting to know and understand each other. Bearing that in mind, expats are unlikely to lack for social interaction, even if you don’t speak the language. Having said that, however, it’s always enjoyable to relax and speak to like-minded people in a foreign land, so InterNations offers a wide array of activities and groups for South Korean expats. From day trips to local beaches and Korean movie nights (Korean cinema is famed worldwide for its daring and innovative approach to movie making) to wine tasting and singles nights, there's something for the expat of every persuasion in InterNations' community of expats in South Korea; if you can tear yourself away from your smartphone or latest computer game, that is.

  • Vladimir Rostev

    InterNations not only helped me finding great business contacts but it moreover helped my family to quickly settle in.

  • Mia Lindberg

    Getting to know other Scandinavian women was so easy with InterNations. We quickly got connected and became friends.

Our Global Partners

Communities in South Korea

Like-Minded Expatriates in South Korea

South Korea Guide Topics

Upcoming Communities in South Korea

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