Seoul's Top 20% Earn 120 Million Won, While Bottom 20% Make 27 Million Won

Income Gap Between High- and Low-Income Households Reaches 4.6 Times
Low-Income Households Report More "Deprivation Experiences" Such as Unpaid Utility Bills
Medical Expenses: Poor Households Spend More Than Non-Poor Households

A recent survey found that the total income of high-income households in Seoul is 4.6 times greater than that of low-income households.

According to the "2024 Seoul Welfare Status Survey" report released by the Seoul Institute on September 11, 2025, the total income of the highest income quintile in Seoul was 124.81 million won, which is 4.6 times higher than the lowest income quintile (27.03 million won). The fifth quintile refers to the top 20% of households by income, while the first quintile refers to the bottom 20%.

A view of apartment complexes in downtown Seoul from Namsan, Seoul. 2025.06.27 Photo by Dongju Yoon

This result is based on a survey conducted by the institute from September 2 to October 31 last year, targeting 3,004 households residing in Seoul. Total income here refers to the sum of earned income, business income, property income, public transfer income, private transfer income, and other income.

The average total income of the sample group was 64.23 million won. Since this average is higher than the median of 58 million won, it suggests that there are relatively more low-income households. The institute explained, "Because low-income households may have been underrepresented in the sample, caution is needed when interpreting the results."

Among those surveyed, 7.3% said they had experienced "deprivation" at least once, such as falling behind on rent or being unable to pay for their children's public education expenses.

Deprivation experiences were more common among low-income households than among general households. For the question, "Have you ever been unable to pay utility bills on time due to lack of money?" 12.3% of low-income households answered yes, compared to 2.3% of general households. For the question, "Have you or your family ever been unable to go to the hospital due to lack of money?" the rate was also higher among low-income households (13.0%) than among general households (2.5%).

The average monthly living expenses for non-poor households were 2.86 million won, more than double that of poor households (1.15 million won). Poor households are defined as those with a household income at or below 50% of the median income.

The average monthly medical expenses were 35,000 won for non-poor households and 42,000 won for poor households, meaning poor households spent more. The proportion of those who said medical expenses were a burden was also higher among poor households (37.0%) compared to non-poor households (16.7%).

The average total assets of sample households were 606.19 million won, with average debt at 44.96 million won, and average net assets at 561.23 million won.

Regarding housing, the survey found that the burden of home prices remains significant. The "price-to-income ratio (PIR)"-the ratio of house price to household income-averaged 11.4 times. The average ratio of housing costs to monthly income was 35.2%. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's minimum housing standards, 4.2% of households fell short in at least one criterion, such as the number of rooms, floor area, or facilities.

Among young people aged 15 to 29, the proportion of "NEETs"-those not in employment, education, or training-was 4.6%, an increase from 3.6% in the 2022 survey.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.