Spending only 20,000 KRW on groceries in Korea isn’t impossible, even if most of the items in the supermarket cost around 5,000 KRW or more. With a grocery list handy, you’ll know what you need to buy and how much you’re willing to spend for certain items.
Here are a few cheat sheets (estimated for one person) for your next shopping trip:
Breakfast Staples
- Cereals: (600g cornflakes) 4,200 KRW
- Pancake mix: 2,500 KRW
- Milk: (2 cartons; check the “best by” date) 3,880 KRW
- Bread: (1 loaf; check the “best by” date) 1,980 KRW
- Eggs: (10 pcs.; check the “best by” date) 2,800 KRW
- Spread: (1 small jar of jam, peanut or green tea spread, Nutella) 3,000-3,600 KRW
Total: 18,360-18,960 KRW
Lasts: About 2 weeks (the spreads may last beyond this time)
Vegetarian
- Sesame oil: (160ml) 2,980 KRW
- Brown rice vinegar: (500ml) 1,150 KRW
- Rice: (2kg) 6,800 KRW
- Rose bananas: 1,980 KRW
- Ice Queen lettuce or Green Lettuce: (100g; keep refrigerated) 1,980 KRW
- King Oyster mushrooms: (300g x 2 deal) 3,280 KRW
- Honey mushrooms: (150g) 1,800 KRW
Total: 19,970 KRW
Lasts: About 1 week (the rice, oil, and vinegar may last beyond this time)
Meat
- Sliced ham: (400g) 5,900 KRW
- Sliced sirloin beef: (bulgogi-style; a little over 200g) 3,887-4,231 KRW
- Seasoned chicken breast: (2,000 each x 2) 4,000 KRW
- Chopped whole chicken: (1kg) 4,900 KRW
Total: 18,687-19,031 KRW
Lasts: About 1 week (the meat should be consumed within 2 days if not frozen but may last for around 3 months if frozen)
Basic Cooking Ingredients
- Gojuchang paste: (1 small tub) 1,950 KRW
- Doenjang paste: (1 small tub) 950 KRW
- Pepper: 2,200 KRW
- Salt: (400g) 1,160 KRW
- Onions: (around 6 pcs.) 4,500 KRW
- Garlic: (around 100g) 1,880-2,068 KRW
- Potatoes: (around 8 pcs.) 2,380 KRW
- Cherry tomatoes: (1 cup) 2,500 KRW
- Napa cabbage: (1 pc.) 580 KRW
Total: 18,100-18,288 KRW
Lasts: About 2 weeks (the seasonings may last beyond this time)
Snack Pack for the Sweet Tooth
- Original choco pie: 5,760 KRW
- Banana choco pie: 5,760 KRW
- Market O Real Brownie: 4,180 KRW
- Banana milk: (4+2 deal) 4,230 KRW
Total: 19,930 KRW
Lasts: Maybe 2-4 weeks (assuming you eat just 1-2 snacks per day; the banana milk may run out sooner than the other snacks, of course)
Salty Snack Pack
- Cup ramen: (6 pcs.) 2,900 KRW
- Instant ramen: (5 pcs.) 3,150 KRW
- Instant jjajangmyeon: (4+1 deal) 4,980 KRW
- Dried seaweed snack: (8 packets) 3,800 KRW
- Doritos Chips: (1+1 deal x 2) 4,800 KRW
Total: 19,630 KRW
Lasts: Around a month or more (if you don’t eat instant noodles every day, that is)
A sample 1-week supply list for one person
No snacks, sorry, assuming you have rice, essential cooking supplies, and basic ingredients already:
- Potatoes: (around 8 pcs.) 2,380 KRW
- Napa cabbage: (1 pc.) 580 KRW
- Bean sprouts: (200g) 768 KRW
- King Oyster mushrooms: (300g x 2 deal) 3,280 KRW
- Tofu: (300g x 2) 1,600 KRW
- Eggs: (10 pcs.) 2,800 KRW
- Sliced sirloin beef: (a little over 200g) 3,887-4,231 KRW
- Chopped whole chicken: (1kg) 4,900 KRW
Total: 20,195-20,539
Tip: Cook two or three simple dishes (2-3 servings each of bulgogi, roasted or sauteed chicken and veggies, and a tofu and mushroom stir-fry), freeze them, and reheat as meals for the week.
What 20,000 KRW Will Get You Elsewhere
When you don’t have a grocery store nearby, there are plenty of other places to shop for your daily needs. You might need to pay a premium on some item, but in some cases, you could save a few notes, too.
20,000 KRW In Daiso
Fun fact: You might easily find a Daiso store beside an eMart or inside a Lotte Mart. You might also find all the things you need want want but may or may not need.
- Oval basket (small) 2,000 KRW
- Small purse, VR glasses, or portable speakers 5,000 KRW
- Small pouch 1,000 KRW
- Rice scoop or rice washing spatula 1,000 KRW
- Bottle opener 1,000 KRW
- Mini frying pan 2,000 KRW
- Pet dish or luggage piggy bank 2,000 KRW
- Left-handed scissors 1,000 KRW
- Ceramic pump bottle 3,000 KRW
- Shower bowl 1,000 KRW
- Laundry ball 1,000 KRW
Total: 20,000 KRW
20,000 KRW In Art Box
- Mini notebook 700 KRW
- Soju glass 3,000 KRW
- Weekly Journal 2,500 KRW
- Face massager 4,200 KRW
- Bathroom slippers 6,800 KRW
- Tongs 3,500 KRW
Total: 19,000 KRW
For the remaining 1,000 KRW, get yourself one of these hot packs that can last up to 15 hours—it’s a handy investment for that winter day that gets too cold for your liking!
Note: Almost all of the prices of the groceries in Korea were obtained at Lotte Mart on November 28, 2016. Prices are subject to change.