"Is This for Real? Maintenance Fee of 3 Million Won, Electricity Bill of 1.91 Million Won" Even a 6.6 Billion Won Han River View Apartment Was Not Exempt

Heating and Labor Costs Drive Increases
Apartment Maintenance Fees Up 4% in January

Model and YouTuber Aori. Aori Instagram

As January bills have been distributed, many people are voicing concerns about the burden of increased costs. Model and YouTuber Aori (real name Kim Minyoung) also revealed that she was hit with a hefty apartment maintenance fee.

On March 2, Aori posted her January apartment maintenance bill on Instagram, reacting with, "Wow, is this for real?" The total amount listed on the bill was 3,003,890 won, with electricity charges alone amounting to approximately 1,916,990 won. This is an increase of 1.27 million won compared to the previous month.

Aori explained, "I thought it was cold inside, so I ran the air heater at full power, which led to this massive bill." She is known to be living in a 145-square-meter (about 55-pyeong) apartment at I-Park Samseong-dong in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which she purchased last year.

Details of the January maintenance fee bill disclosed by Aori. A total of 3,003,890 won was charged. Aori Instagram

The National Average Apartment Maintenance Fee for January: 280,812 won for 84㎡...Up Over 4% Year-on-Year

Since the January bills were distributed, posts questioning maintenance fees have been flooding online forums. Many are asking if other households are facing similar costs, saying that the burden of winter maintenance fees has grown. In fact, apartment maintenance fees in January this year increased compared to the same period last year. This is attributed to a rise in heating usage due to the cold wave, as well as an overall increase in shared maintenance costs such as labor expenses and long-term repair funds.

According to the Community Housing Management Information System (K-apt) by the Korea Real Estate Board on March 4, the average nationwide apartment maintenance fee in January was 3,343 won per square meter. This represents a 4.3% increase from 3,206 won per square meter in the same month last year. For the standard 84-square-meter apartment, commonly referred to as the “national average size,” the average maintenance fee amounted to 280,812 won. This is about 11,500 won higher than the 269,304 won recorded in January last year.

A maintenance fee notice is delivered to a mailbox in an apartment in Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

Unit Electricity Prices Unchanged, but Lower January Temperatures Drove Up Heating Usage

The largest increase was seen in heating costs. Individual usage fees, including heating, hot water, and gas charges, rose by 5.9% to 1,654 won per square meter from the previous year. In particular, heating costs surged by 13%, rising from 393 won to 444 won per square meter. This figure far exceeds the 1.9% increase in communal maintenance fees.

The main factor behind this was the cold wave. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the nationwide average low temperature in January was minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, lower than the previous year. In Seoul as well, the average low dropped to the minus 7-degree range, significantly increasing heating demand.

In fact, Korea District Heating Corporation’s heat sales in January rose by more than 10% year-on-year. Although the unit price for electricity did not change significantly, the increased usage resulted in higher electricity costs for residents.

Shared Maintenance Fees Also Rise Due to Inflation Pressure...January Sees the Sharpest Increase Each Year

Shared maintenance costs also rose across the board due to inflation. General management fees, which include salaries for management office staff, increased by 1.9% from 614 won to 626 won per square meter. Most categories, such as cleaning, security, elevator maintenance, and repair costs, showed small increases.

Long-term repair funds also went up due to higher construction costs. The monthly charge per square meter increased by 6.1% from 276 won to 295 won. Industry experts explain that there are structural reasons why the increase in maintenance fees is most acutely felt every January. Typically, community housing budgets are set in November of the previous year, with the increases reflected from January of the following year.

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