The prices of major dining-out items such as Jajangmyeon and samgyeopsal in Seoul continued their upward trend last month. Despite the government’s price stabilization efforts and price cuts for some processed foods, the burden of dining-out prices is expected to persist for the time being, due to the impact of rising exchange rates and heightened tensions in the Middle East.

According to the 'True Price' price information portal of the Korea Consumer Agency on the 23rd, the average price of jajangmyeon in the Seoul area last month was 7,692 KRW, an increase of about 0.5% from the previous month (7,654 KRW).

Kalguksu rose by 0.4% from 9,923 KRW to 9,962 KRW, and samgyeopsal (converted to 200g standard) increased from 21,056 KRW to 21,141 KRW, respectively.

Although food companies have been lowering product prices for items such as ramen and confectioneries in line with the government’s price stabilization policy, the dining-out prices that consumers experience are still on the rise. This is because dining-out prices reflect not only the cost of ingredients but also various other expenses, including labor, rent, logistics, and electricity and gas charges.

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Recently, the exchange rate and oil price increases have been cited as contributing factors. The rise in the won-dollar exchange rate can raise the cost of imported food ingredients, thereby increasing overall costs for the restaurant industry. High oil prices, driven by tensions between the United States and Iran, are also being pointed out as a burden. Oil prices affect logistics and public utility costs, which are directly linked to the cost structure of the food service industry. As a result, upward pressure on dining-out prices is expected to persist in the near future.

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Meanwhile, personal service fees have also been on the rise. Last month, the cost of dry cleaning (including ironing) a men’s suit in Seoul was 10,846 won, up about 12% from 9,692 won a year earlier. Haircut prices increased by about 5% for women and about 4.3% for men, while the price of public bath services also rose by about 2.9%.