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Living in Jongno-gu

In Jongno-gu, unemployment is 4.4% (2025).

The annual mean temperature estimate was 13.2°C at the end of 2024. 종로구 is in South Korea; its population was 136,318 in June 2026. Annual PM2.5 was 19 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. The city covered 23.9 km² in 2020. Population density was 5,785.7 people per km² in 2024. The annual precipitation estimate was 1,483.7 mm at the end of 2024. The housing-vacancy rate was 4.5% at the end of 2024. The unemployment rate was 4.4% at the end of 2025.

Last checked 2026-09-2427 sources

Population136,318people30 Jun 2026Official source · MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 2026
Unemployment rate4.4%country median 2.7% — 63% aboveOfficial source · 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators
Recorded crime7,347incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024Official source · KR-Police-regional-crime-2024
PM2.5, annual mean18.98µg/m³country median 16.0 — 19% aboveOfficial source · Air Pollution Level Confirmation Data — 2024 PM2.5 station observations

Higher unemployment than 91% of South Korean cities that publish it and dirtier air than 91% of South Korean cities that publish it.

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

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

Housing and cost

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
Jongno-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
Dwellings47,156 dwellings31 Dec 2024DT_1JU1501 2024 housing units by municipality7Official
Housing vacancy rate4.5 %31 Dec 2024DT_1JU1512 2024 vacant housing units by municipality8Official
Annual jeonse deposit-to-rent conversion rate4.8 %31 Jul 2026전국주택가격동향조사 — 지역별 전월세 전환율_아파트 (A_2024_00156, statId S234820263)27Official
Median jeonse deposit (deposit-only lease)411,634 EUR31 Aug 2026국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (전세 rows: 보증금(만원))26Official
Median wolse monthly payment (deposit also required)499.8 EUR/month31 Aug 2026국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (월세 rows: 월세금(만원), deposit coexists)26Official

Is Jongno-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 worker28%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 20–36%
Skilled employee42%strong on work, weak on safety · range 34–50%
Student30%strong on education, weak on work · range 23–37%
Family47%strong on family, weak on cost · range 40–54%
Retirement24%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 15–33%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in 종로구?

The unemployment rate is 4.4 % (2025). Source: 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators1

Unemployment across cities in South KoreaUnemployment in Jongno-gu is 4.4%. Of 218 cities with data, 36 have unemployment of 0.5 to under 1%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Unemployment rate4.4 %country median 2.7%31 Dec 20252025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators1Official

What does a salary buy in Jongno-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€47of €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 €411,634 refundable deposit and 4.8% annual conversion rate · official · 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 · 2026-08-31 · official · 전국주택가격동향조사 · 2026-07-31− €1,647
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-€47
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Jongno-gu Salary needed to live in Jongno-gu

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Jongno-gu. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Work24 public employment service — Public employment service

Ministry of Employment and Labor, Republic of Korea

Job Search

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Jongno-gu. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools40 schools21 Jul 2026Schoolinfo official open-data callback response23Official

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Doctors per 1,000 residents17.1 per 1,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex doctors per 100012Official
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents2,570 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex hospital beds per 100k13Official
Hospitals10 count30 Jun 2026HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 — 시설정보10Official
Pharmacies197 count30 Jun 2026HIRA 전국 병의원 및 약국 현황 2026.6 — 약국정보서비스10Official
Physicians per 100,000 residents1,710 per 100,00031 Dec 2024KOSIS e-RegionIndex doctors per 100012Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Jongno-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 residents17.1 per 1,000Verified 2026-07-21
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is 종로구?

Police recorded about 7,347 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 residents7,347 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024KR-Police-regional-crime-202414Official
Violent crime per 100,000 residents163.6 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024KR-Police-regional-crime-202414Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Jongno-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 Jongno-gu.

Find courses near Jongno-gu

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in 종로구?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 19 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: 18.98 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 Jongno-gu is 19.0 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 mean18.98 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

How many people live in 종로구?

The published population was 136,318 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 residents359.7 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Registered motor vehicles by si, gun and gu22Official
City area23.91 km²2020Official KOSIS visual statistics, Korea City Statistics, regional area; joined to the archived MOIS/KOSIS si-gun-gu code and name.20Official
Foreign-resident share8.58 %31 Dec 2025Korea Immigration Service registered foreigners by si/gun/gu and nationality, 2025-12-3111Official
Foreign residents11,471 people31 Mar 2026Registered foreigners by local government, March 202621Official
Population density5,786 people/km²31 Dec 2024Exact si-gun-gu density derived from archived official MOIS/KOSIS resident population and exact official KOSIS area row.20Official
Female residents71,063 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official
Male residents65,255 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official
Population136,318 people30 Jun 2026MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 202617Official

International community in Jongno-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
계11,765100.0%
중국3,96733.7%
베트남1,89116.1%
네팔1,37011.6%
미국1,23810.5%
한국계중국인7046.0%
일본3573.0%
타이완(대만)2632.2%
프랑스1431.2%
몽골1100.9%
Show 110 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
오스트레일리아1090.9%
우즈베키스탄1010.9%
독일860.7%
러시아(연방)810.7%
영국740.6%
필리핀660.6%
미얀마620.5%
캐나다580.5%
인도570.5%
스페인520.4%
카자흐스탄470.4%
브라질470.4%
인도네시아410.3%
멕시코400.3%
말레이시아380.3%
홍콩380.3%
이탈리아380.3%
이스라엘350.3%
콜롬비아330.3%
네덜란드320.3%
스위스310.3%
타이(태국)280.2%
에콰도르270.2%
방글라데시250.2%
폴란드250.2%
싱가포르240.2%
핀란드220.2%
파키스탄210.2%
튀르키예210.2%
아일랜드170.1%
덴마크170.1%
체코170.1%
캄보디아160.1%
오만150.1%
라오스130.1%
스웨덴120.1%
오스트리아120.1%
우크라이나110.1%
스리랑카100.1%
노르웨이100.1%
벨기에100.1%
모로코90.1%
브루나이90.1%
요르단70.1%
아프가니스탄70.1%
포르투갈70.1%
파나마70.1%
사우디아라비아60.1%
이란60.1%
아랍에미리트연합60.1%
온두라스60.1%
기타60.1%
이집트50.0%
수단50.0%
코트디부아르50.0%
헝가리50.0%
베네수엘라50.0%
칠레50.0%
앙골라50.0%
마카오50.0%
뉴질랜드40.0%
투르크메니스탄40.0%
리투아니아40.0%
가나30.0%
우간다30.0%
페루30.0%
벨라루스30.0%
불가리아30.0%
슬로바크30.0%
키르기즈20.0%
남아프리카공화국20.0%
한국계러시아인20.0%
루마니아20.0%
탄자니아20.0%
알제리20.0%
아르헨티나20.0%
도미니카공화국20.0%
볼리비아20.0%
짐바브웨20.0%
세르비아20.0%
코스타리카20.0%
파푸아뉴기니20.0%
에스토니아20.0%
도미니카연방20.0%
교황청20.0%
안도라10.0%
나이지리아10.0%
티모르민주공화국(동티모르)10.0%
시리아10.0%
에티오피아10.0%
케냐10.0%
리비아10.0%
타지키스탄10.0%
콩고민주공화국10.0%
튀니지10.0%
아제르바이잔10.0%
과테말라10.0%
세네갈10.0%
크로아티아10.0%
가봉10.0%
엘살바도르10.0%
감비아10.0%
시에라리온10.0%
레바논10.0%
쿠바10.0%
말리10.0%
알바니아10.0%
아이슬란드10.0%
바레인10.0%
영국외지민10.0%

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

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Households72,503 households30 Jun 2026MOIS resident-registration population, sex and household counts by administrative area, June 202618Official

Alternatives for people set on Jongno-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.

Pocheon-si as a Jongno-gu alternative in the same country

Better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Unemployment: 1.8% Pocheon-si vs 4.4% Jongno-gu−59%
  • Empty flats: 8.8% Pocheon-si vs 4.5% Jongno-gu+95%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 3,550 Pocheon-si vs 7,347 Jongno-gu−52%
  • Hospital beds, per 100k: 1,010.0 Pocheon-si vs 2,570.0 Jongno-gu−61%
  • Foreign residents: 12.0% Pocheon-si vs 8.6% Jongno-gu+39%
  • Annual PM2.5: 16.2 µg/m³ Pocheon-si vs 19.0 µg/m³ Jongno-gu−14%
  • Residents: 140,468 Pocheon-si vs 136,318 Jongno-gu+3%

Alternative cities in South Korea

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

All South Korea cities

How does Jongno-gu compare?

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

Jongno-gu in rankings

Is Jongno-gu part of Seoul?

Jongno-gu is administratively part of Seoul. It is about 4.0 km away by straight-line distance. Seoul city profile

Relationship type: Administrative Part Of. Source9

Which comparable places record less crime than Jongno-gu?

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

Jongno-gu: 6,931.5 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 종로구?

The published population was 136,318 people in June 2026. Source: MOIS resident registration population by si/gun/gu, June 2026.

Is the air quality good in 종로구?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 19 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 종로구?

Police recorded about 7,347 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 종로구?

The unemployment rate is 4.4 % (2025). Source: 2025 H2 Local Area Labour Force Survey — municipal key employment indicators.

How many foreign residents live in Jongno-gu?

11,471 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Registered foreigners by local government, March 2026.

Is Jongno-gu a good place to live?

Jongno-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 Jongno-gu part of Seoul?

Jongno-gu is administratively part of Seoul. It is about 4.0 km away by straight-line distance.

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

The official citizenship distribution records 11,765 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 Jongno-gu?

57 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Jongno-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). Jongno-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 4e91efc346483d1e680511a6faa31c8f]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/jonglogu/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_jongno-gu-south-korea-population-rent-cost-of-living_f2d17d3e6beb,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Jongno-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {4e91efc346483d1e680511a6faa31c8f},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/jonglogu/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Jongno-gu, South Korea: population, rent, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/jonglogu/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 4e91efc346483d1e680511a6faa31c8f; 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 17 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. 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 — 아파트 전월세 (전세 rows: 보증금(만원)) 국토교통부 실거래가 공개시스템 조건별 자료제공 · rt.molit.go.kr · checked 2026-09-18
  17. 전국주택가격동향조사 — 지역별 전월세 전환율_아파트 (A_2024_00156, statId S234820263) 전국주택가격동향조사 · reb.or.kr · checked 2026-09-19

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