Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
Expats happy with life in Seoul
Foreigners walk out of Gyeongbok Palace in this file photo. / Yonhap
By Kim Bo-eun
Expats in Seoul are happy with the living environment and safety, but experience trouble communicating, a survey shows.
In The Seoul Institute's survey of 25,000 foreigners in Seoul, respondents gave 69.7 out of 100 for the quality of life here.
Highest marks went to the living environment (76 points), followed by safety (74.4 points). The high points for the living environment have been attributed to the city’s convenient public transport system.
Meanwhile, the expats gave 61.7 points for communication.
On average, foreigners found living costs higher than their home country.
Given that living costs in their country is 100, Seoul was rated an average of 132.3 percent.
The Vietnamese rated costs as the highest at 155.9 percent.
Overall, people from Asia rated costs at 167.2 percent, Americans at 104.8 percent and Europeans at 101 percent.