daegu’s average salary: am I just a walking dollar sign here?

so i landed in daegu with my camera, a worn leather backpack, and a burning question: ‘are these paychecks just enough to survive, or am i finally the hero who can afford both rent and decent kimchi?’ turns out, the answer’s somewhere between ‘meh’ and ‘this city’s got its hooks in me.’

let’s talk numbers first-because math, right? average rent for a one-bedroom in hodong neighborhood? 350k-400k won a month. that’s for a shoebox with a view of the same wall you’ll stare at every morning. a friend told me rent here’s 20% cheaper than seoul, but also, hodong’s basically a 24-hour gym where old ladies do squats in the hallway. safety? 8.7/10 on numbeo, but i’ve still had that dude in the alley shout ‘kiroo!’ at me at 3am. job market’s rough if you’re not teaching english or coding. salary surveys say 2.8 million won a month for mid-level roles. enough to split a ramyeon? absolutely. enough for a life? haha, no. but hey, street food’s 3000 won max, so dreams adjust.

[i’d paste a map here if i wasn’t battling wordpress’s hatred for images


okay, enough data. let’s get chaotic. overheard gossip: ‘the mall in new daegu district? avoid after 8pm. scammers there.’ another one: ‘hapcheon-gil has free WiFi spots now. bring your laptop, not your sanity.’ neighbors? i’m in a mix of retirees who’ll water your plants if you forget and teenagers who leave bongs on my fire escape. lovely.

current weather? -5c today. felt like a fridge exploded and hugged my face. but hey, mirim park’s open for 24-hour winter runs. tried it. froze my ass off. next time i’ll ask taxis to queue. neighbors say lady at mi kogop bbq stands up when you walk in. respect.

*daegu’s pros/cons, straight from the trenches: pros-sheep are cute, cost of living doesn’t punch back, hanbit park has that one tree that never lets go. cons-emojis are just money signs, public transit = 1990s lag, and the ‘daegu is quiet’ vibe hides some wild* karaoke nights. [local mom warned me about the hot springs scam in myeongbong. always find the hot spring that’s not full of pipes. i’m still bitter].

so, worth it? if you’re a coffee snob, hit up 'red beans & blue tears' in inda-dong. their cold brew’s cheaper than a prescription. if you’re a budget student, don’t trust the ‘student housing’ ads. they’re just hoping you’ll like the dog they’ve legally adopted. daegu’s not for everyone, but if you’re the type who sips iced coffee and stares at streetlights like they’re your daughters, this place might just bleed through your soul.

links: tripadvisor review of hodong cafes, yelp post about mi kogop, daegu subreddit horror story, travel blog re: winter walking dogs]

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