From Rent Support to Moving Costs... How Young Adults Living Alone Can Reduce Housing Expenses [The Essentials of Benefits]

#A, a 20-something office worker living alone in Seoul, always faces the same worries after payday. After paying rent, maintenance fees, and interest on her deposit loan, her living expenses are always tight. When it's time to move, she also has to worry about brokerage commissions and moving costs, making the burden even heavier.

An appearance of studio apartment listings displayed at a real estate agency near a university area. Photo by Yonhap News

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Actual statistics reflect this reality. According to the 2024 Housing Survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the rent-to-income ratio (RIR) for young tenant households was recorded at 16.0%. In other words, if you earn 1 million won a month, 160,000 won goes to rent. When including maintenance fees and utilities, the perceived burden is much higher. To alleviate this, the government and local authorities are implementing various housing support programs for young people.

The first program to pay attention to is the Special Youth Monthly Rent Support. According to Bokjiro, new applications for this year are accepted from March 30 to May 29 at 4 p.m. The program targets young people aged 19 to 34 who are not homeowners and live apart from their parents. Applicants must also meet requirements such as having a youth household income at or below 60% of the median or an original household income at or below 100% of the median.

The amount of support is paid in installments of up to 200,000 won per month within the range of actual rent paid, for up to 24 months (installments). You can receive up to a total of 4.8 million won, making it a substantial benefit. Applications can be made by visiting the local community center in person or online through the Bokjiro website. Since the eligibility and income requirements are clear, young people who face a heavy rent burden should first check if they qualify.

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Local government-specific support programs are also worth noting. The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates programs to support lease deposit loan interest and to help with brokerage commissions and moving expenses for young people. Since the largest expenses when first living independently are the deposit and moving costs, these programs provide tangible relief.

According to the Seoul Housing Portal, the Youth Lease Deposit Loan Interest Support program offers loans of up to 200 million won, covering up to 90% of the lease deposit, with a city-subsidized interest rate of 2.0% per annum. For young people struggling to save a large sum, this can be just as helpful as monthly rent support.

Moving costs are also eligible for support. In the first half of 2026, Seoul provided up to 400,000 won in actual expenses to youth households (aged 19 to 39) with a household income at or below 150% of the median, who moved into Seoul or relocated within the city after January 1, 2024. This support can be used for real estate brokerage fees or moving expenses. Although applications for the first half have ended, the program operates for a total of 8,000 people annually, so it is worth checking if recruitment opens for the second half of the year. Other local governments offer similar moving cost or interest support programs, so be sure to check your local government website.

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For college students, the Housing Stability Scholarship is also worth considering. The Ministry of Education provides up to 200,000 won per month in housing-related expenses to students from low-income or near-poor backgrounds who have difficulty commuting due to attending a distant university and face heavy housing costs. The scholarship broadly covers rental costs, interest expenses, maintenance and repair fees, and utility costs. However, only students attending universities that have applied for and been approved for participation in the program for the year are eligible, so you must confirm if your university qualifies.

Low-income youth should also look into the separate housing benefit payment system. If an unmarried child aged 19 or older but under 30 lives apart from their parents in a household receiving the housing benefit, the housing benefit can be split so that the youth receives it separately from their parents.

This program targets households with a recognized income at or below 48% of the median. For reference, in 2026, the maximum housing benefit for a single-person household in Seoul is 369,000 won per month under the rental benefit standard. The perceived benefit may be greater than that of the general youth monthly rent support, given these maximums.

Ultimately, the key to youth housing support is not just monthly rent assistance. Even among young people, the benefits available vary greatly depending on income level, place of residence, and student status. The important thing is to first check which programs fit your situation.

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