How Korean Natural Gas Bills Work
Korean piped natural gas bills consist of a base charge plus a usage charge. The base charge is fixed monthly regardless of consumption. The usage charge is calculated by multiplying consumption (㎥) by the seasonal unit rate. Rates are highest in winter and lowest in summer due to heating demand patterns and raw material procurement costs.
Each regional gas supplier (e.g., Seoul City Gas, Busan City Gas) sets retail prices based on Korea Gas Corporation wholesale rates. This calculator uses national average residential rates as an estimate.
Tips to Reduce Gas Bills
- Lower heating temperature by 1°C — saves approximately 7% annually
- Use the "away" boiler mode instead of fully turning off for long absences
- Improve window insulation (bubble wrap, thermal curtains) to reduce heat loss
- Schedule annual boiler maintenance for optimal efficiency
Frequently Asked Questions
The bill shows current month usage (㎥ or MJ), base charge, usage charge, and VAT separately. Actual usage is the difference between this month's and last month's meter readings.
Cooking-only usage for a family of 4 is typically 5–8 ㎥/month. Full residential usage including heating can be 5–10× higher in winter months.