Health insurance premiums, how on earth are they calculated?
That money you pay every month can be reduced if you know how it is decided!
Workplace subscriber = salary × 7.19% ÷ 2 (2026)
Resident subscriber is calculated with income + property + car score
Foreigner minimum limit: about 150,000 KRW
Workplace subscriber is simple.
There is only one official one.
Salary × 7.19% ÷ 2 = the insurance premium I pay (as of 2026)
The company pays the other half for you.
Here, a little more is added for Long-Term Care Insurance. (12.81% of the health insurance premium)
If you add the two lines, "Health Insurance" and "Long-Term Care Insurance," that is the actual deducted amount. If you look only at Health Insurance, the amount may seem incorrect!
For example:
Salary 3,000,000 KRW → 3M × 7.19% = 215,700 KRW
My share: 107,850 KRW / Company share: 107,850 KRW
Shall we see how much you pay based on your salary?
This is the out-of-pocket amount as of 2026.
Salary 2,500,000 KRW → about 89,900 KRW
Salary 3,000,000 KRW → about 107,850 KRW
Salary 4,000,000 KRW → about 143,800 KRW
Salary 5,000,000 KRW → about 179,750 KRW
On the payslip, if you add "Health Insurance" + "Long-term Care", that is the actual deduction amount.
💡 Want to know your insurance premium exactly? Try calculating it yourself in the personalized guide! Calculate my health insurance → EP 05 How on earth is the health insurance premium calculated?
Resident subscriber is complicated.
How is it calculated if you don’t have a company?
Income score + Property score + Car score = Total score
Total score × 211.5 KRW = Insurance premium (2026)
Minimum insurance premium for Resident subscriber foreigners: about 158,630 KRW/month
😱 Why is it so expensive?
For foreigners, the calculation is done "per person." For Koreans, it is combined by family, but for foreigners, it is based on 1 person, so it can feel expensive.
If income other than salary, like interest or rent, is over 20,000,000 KRW per year, you will have to pay an extra insurance premium.
How to reduce insurance premiums
There are cases where you can get a discount.
🎓 Student/Language Training Student/Language Training students: 50% discount on insurance fees!
💍 Marriage Marriage immigrants: If you are a Dependent under NHI (pibuyangja) on your spouse’s workplace insurance = 0 KRW extra insurance fee!
🏦 Register automatic transfer: 500 KRW discount every month (small but steady)
💼 Even with part-time work, you may join workplace insurance → it can be cheaper than regional insurance
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Check subscriber type
The calculation method is different depending on whether you are a Workplace subscriber (working at a company) or a Resident subscriber (not working at a company).
Premium calculation
Employee: salary × 7.19% ÷ 2. Local subscriber: (income + property + car score) × 211.5 KRW.
Long-Term Care Insurance add-on
12.81% of the health insurance premium is added as Long-Term Care Insurance.
Settlement every April
Recalculated based on the previous year's income. The difference is collected additionally or refunded.
Calculate your own premium
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Workplace subscriber half and half
The company pays half of the insurance premium for you. This is the most advantageous setup.
50% discount for international students
International students with a Student/Language Training visa get a 50% discount on insurance premiums!
Marriage Dependent under NHI (pibuyangja) 0 KRW
With a marriage immigrant visa, if you register as a Dependent under NHI (pibuyangja) on your spouse’s workplace health insurance, the additional insurance premium is 0 KRW.
Automatic payment discount
If you register for automatic payment, you get a 500 KRW discount every month (small, but steady).
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Minimum threshold for foreign Resident subscriber
The minimum insurance premium for a foreign Resident subscriber is about 153,000 KRW/month. Even if your income is low, it does not go below this amount.
Be careful with non-wage income
If income outside salary (interest, rent, etc.) is over 20,000,000 KRW per year, an extra insurance premium is charged.
Bonus included too
Bonuses are included too. Since your annual income goes up, your insurance premium also goes up.
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It is settled every April. The difference is later additionally collected or refunded.
Yes! Bonuses are included too. Since your annual income goes up, your insurance premium also goes up.
Check Voluntary continuation enrollment (EP.4). If you had workplace health insurance for at least 1 year, you can keep the workplace-level premium for 36 months!
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This guide is for information only, not legal advice. In emergencies, call 119 immediately.