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Living in Gangbuk-gu

In Gangbuk-gu, unemployment is 2.3% (2025).

강북구 is a city in South Korea, with a population of 278,041 in June 2026. The annual mean temperature estimate was 13.2°C at the end of 2024. The annual precipitation estimate was 1,483.7 mm at the end of 2024. Annual PM2.5 was 16.6 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. For 강북구, the unemployment rate was 2.3% at the end of 2025.

Last checked 2026-09-2428 sources

Population278,041people30 Jun 2026Official source · MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 2026
Unemployment rate2.3%country median 2.7% — 15% belowOfficial source · 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators
Recorded crime3,100incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024Official source · KR-Police-regional-crime-2024
PM2.5, annual mean16.59µg/m³country median 16.0 — 4% aboveOfficial source · Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations

Which South Korea-wide rules apply when you move to Gangbuk-gu?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

The housing-vacancy rate was 3.81% at the end of 2024.

In South Korea, jeonse is a deposit-only lease with no monthly rent. Where both values are available, the profile's monthly comparison estimates its cost as deposit × annual conversion rate ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Wolse is a separate lease with a monthly payment and its own deposit; that deposit is not included in the monthly figure.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Gangbuk-gu recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€32
Mobile plan, 10 GB€29
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited31.8 EUR/month30 Sept 2026KT 100 Mbps internet15Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB28.91 EUR/month30 Sept 2026KT mobile data plan16Official · national market
Dwellings101,800 dwellings31 Dec 2024DT_1JU1501 2024 housing units by municipality7Official
Housing vacancy rate3.81 %31 Dec 2024DT_1JU1512 2024 vacant housing units by municipality8Official
Annual jeonse deposit-to-rent conversion rate5 %31 Jul 2026전국주택가격동향조사 — 지역별 전월세 전환율_아파트 (A_2024_00156, statId S234820263)28Official
Median jeonse deposit (deposit-only lease)252,861 EUR31 Aug 2026국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (전세 rows: 보증금(만원))27Official
Median wolse monthly payment (deposit also required)426.3 EUR/month31 Aug 2026국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (월세 rows: 월세금(만원), deposit coexists)27Official

Is Gangbuk-gu a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker51%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 43–59%
Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–70%
Student33%strong on education, weak on work · range 26–40%
Family57%strong on family, weak on cost · range 50–64%
Retirement29%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 20–38%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in 강북구?

The unemployment rate is 2.3 % (2025). Source: 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators1

Unemployment across cities in South KoreaUnemployment in Gangbuk-gu is 2.3%. Of 218 cities with data, 36 have unemployment of 0.5 to under 1%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Work24 — 고용복지+센터 institution finder26Official
Unemployment rate2.3 %country median 2.7%31 Dec 20252025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators1Official

What does a salary buy in Gangbuk-gu?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

South Korea median gross pay: €1,911 (2024-12-31).
Left over each month€546of €1,660 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€1,660
Jeonse monthly equivalentjeonse monthly equivalent; based on a €252,861 refundable deposit and 5.0% annual conversion rate · official · 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 · 2026-08-31 · official · 전국주택가격동향조사 · 2026-07-31− €1,054
Internet€32 · official · KT 100 Mbps internet · 2026-09-30− €32
Mobile plan€29 · official · KT mobile data plan · 2026-09-30− €29
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€546
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Gangbuk-gu Salary needed to live in Gangbuk-gu

Public employment offices in Gangbuk-gu

Work24 lists 1 public employment office in Gangbuk-gu (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Work24 public employment service — Public employment service

Ministry of Employment and Labor, Republic of Korea

Job Search

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools34 schools21 Jul 2026Schoolinfo official open-data callback response23Official

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Doctors per 1,000 residents2.8 per 1,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex doctors per 100012Official
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents820 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex hospital beds per 100k13Official
Hospitals16 count30 Jun 2026HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 — 시설정보10Official
Pharmacies167 count30 Jun 2026HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 — 약국정보서비스10Official
Physicians per 100,000 residents280 per 100,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex doctors per 100012Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Gangbuk-gu under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Doctors per 1,000 residents2.8 per 1,000Verified 2026-07-21
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is 강북구?

Police recorded about 3,100 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: KR-Police-regional-crime-202414

MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,100 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024KR-Police-regional-crime-202414Official
Violent crime per 100,000 residents54.31 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024KR-Police-regional-crime-202414Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Gangbuk-gu. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Early Adaptation Program — Newcomer Adaptation

Ministry of Justice / Korea Immigration Service

For newly arrived foreign residents, international students, workers, marriage migrants.

KoreanIn Person

Social Integration Program (KIIP) — Integration course

Ministry of Justice / Korea Immigration Service

For foreign residents in Korea, people within three years of naturalization.

KoreanIn Person, Online
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Gangbuk-gu.

Find courses near Gangbuk-gu

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in 강북구?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 16.6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 16.59 µg/m³ · Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations2
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in South KoreaAnnual PM2.5 in Gangbuk-gu is 16.6 µg/m³. Of 235 cities with data, 47 have annual PM2.5 of 17 to under 18 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean16.59 µg/m³country median 16.031 Dec 2024Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations2Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 2.1 · Feb 5.1 · Mar 11 · Apr 17.9 · May 23.6 · Jun 27.6 · Jul 29 · Aug 30 · Sep 26.2 · Oct 20.2 · Nov 11.9 · Dec 4.2 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv25Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan -5.5 · Feb -3.2 · Mar 1.9 · Apr 8 · May 13.5 · Jun 18.7 · Jul 22.3 · Aug 22.9 · Sep 17.7 · Oct 10.6 · Nov 3.5 · Dec -3.4 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv25Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan -2 · Feb 0.7 · Mar 6.1 · Apr 12.6 · May 18.3 · Jun 22.7 · Jul 25.3 · Aug 26.1 · Sep 21.7 · Oct 15 · Nov 7.5 · Dec 0.2 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv25Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 16.8 · Feb 28.2 · Mar 36.9 · Apr 72.9 · May 103.6 · Jun 129.5 · Jul 414.4 · Aug 348.2 · Sep 141.5 · Oct 52.2 · Nov 51.1 · Dec 22.6 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv25Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 169.6 · Feb 170.8 · Mar 198.2 · Apr 206.3 · May 223 · Jun 189.1 · Jul 123.6 · Aug 156.1 · Sep 179.7 · Oct 206.5 · Nov 157.3 · Dec 162.9 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv25Official · nearest-station reading
Annual mean temperature13.18 °C31 Dec 2024NASA POWER 2024 daily point climate observation for South Korea municipalities19Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context
Annual precipitation1,484 mm31 Dec 2024NASA POWER 2024 daily point climate observation for South Korea municipalities19Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context

Population and city profile

The city covered 23.6 km² in 2020. Population density was 12,016.8 people per km² in 2024.

How many people live in 강북구?

The published population was 278,041 people in June 2026. Source: MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 202617

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents254.2 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Registered motor vehicles by si, gun and gu22Official
City area23.6 km²2020Official KOSIS visual statistics, Korea City Statistics, regional area; joined to the archived MOIS/KOSIS si-gun-gu code and name.20Official
Foreign-resident share2.5 %31 Dec 2025Korea Immigration Service registered foreigners by si/gun/gu and nationality, 2025-12-3111Official
Foreign residents7,076 people31 Mar 2026Registered foreigners by local government, March 202621Official
Population density12,017 people/km²31 Dec 2024Exact si-gun-gu density derived from archived official MOIS/KOSIS resident population and exact official KOSIS area row.20Official
Female residents144,451 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official
Male residents133,590 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official
Population278,041 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 202617Official

International community in Gangbuk-gu

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Persons recorded in the official KOSIS registered-foreigner population table; this is not the total resident population and is not interchangeable with resident citizenship. · 2025

Published groupPeopleShare
계6,972100.0%
베트남1,71524.6%
중국1,51521.7%
몽골1,12816.2%
한국계중국인71510.3%
미얀마1982.8%
일본1942.8%
우즈베키스탄1802.6%
타이완(대만)1442.1%
필리핀1261.8%
Show 86 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
타이(태국)1151.6%
미국1111.6%
네팔1051.5%
러시아(연방)951.4%
튀르키예450.6%
파키스탄370.5%
홍콩340.5%
카자흐스탄330.5%
인도네시아320.5%
캄보디아290.4%
프랑스290.4%
타지키스탄280.4%
영국220.3%
인도210.3%
키르기즈200.3%
말레이시아200.3%
독일190.3%
캐나다180.3%
남아프리카공화국140.2%
스페인140.2%
우크라이나120.2%
이란110.2%
싱가포르90.1%
아일랜드90.1%
모로코90.1%
사우디아라비아80.1%
이탈리아80.1%
라오스80.1%
벨라루스80.1%
방글라데시70.1%
오스트레일리아70.1%
브라질70.1%
나이지리아60.1%
뉴질랜드50.1%
멕시코50.1%
폴란드50.1%
스리랑카40.1%
스웨덴40.1%
콜롬비아40.1%
아제르바이잔40.1%
아르헨티나40.1%
기타40.1%
이집트30.0%
네덜란드30.0%
한국계러시아인30.0%
에티오피아30.0%
벨기에30.0%
오스트리아30.0%
포르투갈30.0%
가나20.0%
루마니아20.0%
스위스20.0%
탄자니아20.0%
불가리아20.0%
체코20.0%
헝가리20.0%
투르크메니스탄20.0%
리투아니아20.0%
기니20.0%
노르웨이10.0%
시리아10.0%
그리스10.0%
핀란드10.0%
에콰도르10.0%
콩고민주공화국10.0%
수단10.0%
르완다10.0%
알제리10.0%
이스라엘10.0%
코트디부아르10.0%
칠레10.0%
세네갈10.0%
아르메니아10.0%
마카오10.0%
파라과이10.0%
엘살바도르10.0%
코스타리카10.0%
라트비아10.0%
슬로베니아10.0%
쿠바10.0%
온두라스10.0%
부르키나파소10.0%
에스토니아10.0%
베냉10.0%
바레인10.0%
북마케도니아10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source24

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Households142,815 households30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official

Alternatives for people set on Gangbuk-gu

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Gyeongsan-si as a Gangbuk-gu alternative in the same country

Better on 4 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Foreign residents: 8.5% Gyeongsan-si vs 2.5% Gangbuk-gu+239%
  • Empty flats: 9.0% Gyeongsan-si vs 3.8% Gangbuk-gu+138%
  • Hospital beds, per 100k: 1,320.0 Gyeongsan-si vs 820.0 Gangbuk-gu+61%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 3,240 Gyeongsan-si vs 3,100 Gangbuk-gu+5%
  • Unemployment: 2.2% Gyeongsan-si vs 2.3% Gangbuk-gu−4%
  • Residents: 263,406 Gyeongsan-si vs 278,041 Gangbuk-gu−5%

Alternative cities in South Korea

Other cities in South Korea to compare with Gangbuk-gu, nearest in population first.

All South Korea cities

How does Gangbuk-gu compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Gangbuk-gu's.

Is Gangbuk-gu part of Seoul?

Gangbuk-gu is administratively part of Seoul. It is about 9.5 km away by straight-line distance. Seoul city profile

Relationship type: Administrative Part Of. Source9

Which comparable places record less crime than Gangbuk-gu?

32 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Gangbuk-gu in this strictly source-matched cohort.

Gangbuk-gu: 3,073.4 recorded crime occurrences/100k residents (2024).

Only the same source family, offence definition, period, grain and denominator method are compared. This is recorded crime, not a claim about personal safety. Official source5

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in 강북구?

The published population was 278,041 people in June 2026. Source: MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 2026.

Is the air quality good in 강북구?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 16.6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations.

How safe is 강북구?

Police recorded about 3,100 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: KR-Police-regional-crime-2024.

What is the unemployment rate in 강북구?

The unemployment rate is 2.3 % (2025). Source: 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators.

How many foreign residents live in Gangbuk-gu?

7,076 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Registered foreigners by local government, March 2026.

Is Gangbuk-gu a good place to live?

Gangbuk-gu may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Gangbuk-gu part of Seoul?

Gangbuk-gu is administratively part of Seoul. It is about 9.5 km away by straight-line distance.

How many people are in the 계 citizenship group in Gangbuk-gu?

The official citizenship distribution records 6,972 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2025. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Which comparable places record less crime than Gangbuk-gu?

32 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Gangbuk-gu in this strictly source-matched cohort. The comparison uses Korean National Police Agency regional crime occurrence CSV 2024 + 2024 Registered Census population, period 2024, and does not compare across incompatible police definitions.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Gangbuk-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 6d2051efb0f838b5e2395c794434a480]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/gangbuggu/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_gangbuk-gu-south-korea-population-rent-cost-of-living_74525788250c,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Gangbuk-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {6d2051efb0f838b5e2395c794434a480},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/gangbuggu/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Gangbuk-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/gangbuggu/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 6d2051efb0f838b5e2395c794434a480; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey · korea.kr · checked 2026-07-22
  2. Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data · data.go.kr · checked 2026-07-26
  3. census.go.kr recorded crime data census.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  4. census.go.kr recorded crime data census.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  5. data.go.kr recorded crime data data.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  6. data.go.kr recorded crime data data.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  7. DT_1JU1501 2024 housing units by municipality kosis.kr · checked 2026-07-22
  8. DT_1JU1512 2024 vacant housing units by municipality kosis.kr · checked 2026-07-22
  9. english.seoul.go.kr place coordinates english.seoul.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  10. HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 — 시설정보 HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 · opendata.hira.or.kr · checked 2026-09-15
Show 18 more sources
  1. Korea Immigration Service registered foreigners by si/gun/gu and nationality, 2025-12-31 immigration.go.kr · checked 2026-07-22
  2. KOSIS e-RegionIndex doctors per 1000 kosis.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  3. KOSIS e-RegionIndex hospital beds per 100k kosis.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  4. KR-Police-regional-crime-2024 data.go.kr · checked 2026-09-15
  5. KT 100 Mbps internet product.kt.com · checked 2026-09-15
  6. KT mobile data plan product.kt.com · checked 2026-09-15
  7. MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 2026 jumin.mois.go.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  8. MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 2026 jumin.mois.go.kr · checked 2026-07-22
  9. NASA POWER 2024 daily point climate observation for South Korea municipalities power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-07-22
  10. Official KOSIS visual statistics, Korea City Statistics, regional area; joined to the archived MOIS/KOSIS si-gun-gu code and name. kosis.kr · checked 2026-07-15
  11. Registered foreigners by local government, March 2026 immigration.go.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  12. Registered motor vehicles by si, gun and gu stat.molit.go.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  13. Schoolinfo official open-data callback response schoolinfo.go.kr · checked 2026-07-21
  14. Statistics Korea / KOSIS citizenship distribution kosis.kr · checked 2026-08-28
  15. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Seoul_47108.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  16. Work24 — 고용복지+센터 institution finder Work24 · work24.go.kr · checked 2026-09-15
  17. 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (전세 rows: 보증금(만원)) 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 · rt.molit.go.kr · checked 2026-09-18
  18. 전국주택가격동향조사 — 지역별 전월세 전환율_아파트 (A_2024_00156, statId S234820263) 전국주택가격동향조사 · reb.or.kr · checked 2026-09-19

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.