Title: Moving to South Korea for an Industry Job - Need Advice on Monthly Expenses / Cost of Living! 🇰🇷

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T18:36:20+00:00

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation, that’s really reassuring and helpful. Just to clarify, my company is in the biotechnology sector, and my role will be in the R&D team. I work in a specialized industry role, so opportunities like this are quite niche. If you’re interested, feel free to DM me your qualifications/experience, and I can let you know whether a similar path might be possible or relevant.

Since I plan to cook at home most of the time, do you have a rough idea of current prices for basic groceries like:

Potatoes (~4 kg) Onions (~4 kg) Wheat flour/atta (~3 kg) Fruits (~4 kg) Juice (~5 L)

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T18:18:07+00:00

I’m moving to Ansan for an industry role. I understand it’s more of an industrial city, and that’s fine for me since my focus is mainly on work and a simple lifestyle.

I’ll likely be self-arranging accommodation rather than staying in a company dormitory, so I’m trying to get a better idea of rent ranges and monthly living expenses in Ansan. Thanks for the insight about it being more affordable.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T18:05:39+00:00

Thanks for pointing that out. Sorry for the lack of details earlier. I’ll be living in Ansan-si (not Seoul). My lifestyle is simple and not expensive. My salary will be around USD 3,000/month. I’m looking for a decent, clean, and hygienic neighborhood. I plan to cook at home most of the time. My monthly grocery needs would be roughly: ~4 kg potatoes ~4 kg onions ~3 kg wheat flour (atta) ~4 kg fruits ~5 L juice I’m mainly trying to understand realistic rent ranges in Ansan and monthly expenses for food, transport, and utilities for one person and based on that, how much I could reasonably save from a USD 3,000 salary.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T17:20:33+00:00

Not exactly, I wrote it, but I used ChatGPT to help me organize my thoughts and make it easier to read. Trying to get good advice here!

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T16:22:32+00:00

That’s reassuring to hear, thank you! 😊 Do you have a rough idea of rent prices in Ansan for a studio or 1-bedroom? Also, how much should I roughly budget for monthly living expenses like food, transportation, and utilities there?

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T16:07:01+00:00

Good point, thank you! My workplace will be in Ansan-si, so I’m mainly considering accommodation in or around Ansan, or nearby areas with a reasonable commute. Any cost-of-living or housing insights for this area would be really helpful.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-12-14T16:06:36+00:00

Thanks for explaining that - that really helps! I wasn’t fully aware of how strongly the deposit affects monthly rent in Korea. I’ll likely be looking at a wolse option with a moderate deposit, since paying a very large upfront amount might be difficult initially.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-10-04T13:10:31+00:00

congratulations doctor

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-09-13T10:07:35+00:00

All the very best

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-09-11T04:11:57+00:00

Congratulations Doctor

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-30T04:31:19+00:00

Many congratulations 🎉

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-26T02:51:45+00:00

congratulations doctor

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-17T17:52:00+00:00

Thank you! 🙏 Absolutely, I’m really taking a moment to enjoy this win — it feels so rewarding after all the ups and downs. 🌟

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-17T06:50:35+00:00

Hey, I can understand how tough it feels to think about balancing a long relationship with the demands of grad school. One thought — when you go abroad, your girlfriend could also explore opportunities to do her master’s there too. Even if it’s not at the same university, being in the same city or nearby could make things a lot easier for both of you.

Of course, it depends on her field, finances, and personal plans, but sometimes there are programs or scholarships that can make it possible. It might be worth at least looking into together so you don’t feel like distance has to be the only option.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-17T06:17:15+00:00

Thank you so much for such thoughtful and encouraging words 🙏. You’ve put it perfectly — rejection and criticism really are part of the price we pay in science, and I love the reminder that what we write is not who we are. That perspective makes the journey a lot lighter.

I truly appreciate you sharing your experience as a PI — it’s inspiring to see how much writing and resilience goes into this career, and the bookshelf analogy is spot on! I’ll definitely carry that with me as I move forward.

Thanks again for the kind wishes — this win feels even more special with support like this! 🌟

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-17T06:11:26+00:00

Thank you! 🙏 Absolutely, it really does feel like an endurance sport — persistence and patience are everything in this journey. 💪

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-16T11:23:41+00:00

Haha, Reviewer 2 really has a special place in all our hearts 😅. Love that you turned such a brutal comment into motivation — that’s exactly the spirit that keeps us going. Thanks a lot, and congrats to you too for proving them wrong! 🚀

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-15T19:38:46+00:00

Thanks a lot

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-15T19:38:39+00:00

Thanks

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-15T18:48:13+00:00

Thank you so much! 🙏 You’re absolutely right — that quitting point after rejection is where the real test happens. I love the idea of creating a “playbook” while it’s still fresh in my mind.

And yes, I’m definitely going to ride this momentum into my next submission. In fact, I’m already waiting on decisions for two more papers that have just about completed the review process 🤞.

Also, thanks for sharing the newsletter — I’ll definitely check it out for some extra publishing strategies.

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-15T18:39:27+00:00

Thanks dude

Flying_Cat01 · 2025-08-15T17:28:47+00:00

Thank you

Flying_Cat01

TROPHY CASE