High living costs shock foreigners arriving in SKorea

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

SEOUL (AFP) — South Korea is striving to become more foreigner-friendly, offering expatriates a range of services aimed at making life easier and more pleasant.

But that first trip to the supermarket or real estate agency can still come as a shock.

Seoul is the world's fifth most expensive city for expatriates, according to a survey last month by international consultancy Mercer -- ahead of Hong Kong (sixth), Paris (12th) and New York (22nd).

The cost of food, services and rent -- with landlords frequently expecting two years' advance payment -- is an eye-opener for new arrivals, although public transportation is relatively cheap.

A Finnish businessman said the high cost of living in Seoul had been a "big surprise" for him when he arrived more than...