🤝 Korea Real Estate Agent Fee (Brokerage Commission) Calculator
Find the legal maximum commission a licensed Korean real estate agent can charge when you buy, sell or rent a home.
Fee cap table
How to use
Choose the transaction type and enter the amount to see the maximum commission a licensed agent (gongin junggaesa) may charge. For a monthly-rent lease, enter the security deposit and the monthly rent separately — the calculator converts them into a transaction amount automatically. If you agreed a lower rate with the agent, type it in the negotiated rate box (it can never exceed the cap). The result is what one party pays; buyer and seller each pay their own agent fee on the same basis.
What is the agent fee in Korea?
The brokerage fee (junggae bosu, 중개보수 — commonly called “bokbi”) is what you pay a licensed real estate agent under the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act. For housing, the Ministry of Land sets the framework and each province or metropolitan city sets the exact caps by ordinance. The schedule was overhauled on 19 October 2021 to split the high-price bands. Unlike the US, where a seller typically pays 5–6% that is shared between agents, in Korea both sides pay and the rates are far lower. The table shows ceilings, so you can negotiate below them — agree on the amount before signing to avoid disputes.
How the fee is calculated
Agent fee = transaction amount × maximum rate (never above the fee cap where one exists)
- Sale or exchange — the sale price; for an exchange, the larger of the two values
- Jeonse (전세, lump-sum deposit lease) — the jeonse deposit
- Monthly rent (wolse) —
deposit + monthly rent × 100; if that is under ₩50M, usedeposit + monthly rent × 70
Example: ₩10M deposit and ₩700K monthly rent → ₩10M + ₩70M = ₩80M → lease band 0.4% with a ₩300K cap → fee ₩300K (the raw ₩320K is capped).
Korean housing agent fee caps (since 19 Oct 2021)
| Transaction amount | Sale / exchange | Lease (jeonse / rent) |
|---|---|---|
| Under ₩50M | 0.6% (cap ₩250K) | 0.5% (cap ₩200K) |
| ₩50M – under ₩100M | 0.5% (cap ₩800K) | 0.4% (cap ₩300K) |
| ₩100M – under ₩200M | 0.5% (cap ₩800K) | 0.3% |
| ₩200M – under ₩600M | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| ₩600M – under ₩900M | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| ₩900M – under ₩1.2B | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| ₩1.2B – under ₩1.5B | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| ₩1.5B and above | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Is VAT charged on top?
If the agency is a general VAT taxpayer, it may add 10% VAT to the fee; simplified taxpayers charge less. Check the business registration certificate and ask for a cash receipt or tax invoice.
Officetels, shops and land are different
A residential officetel of 85㎡ or less with a kitchen and bathroom is capped at 0.5% for sales and 0.4% for leases. Other officetels, commercial units and land are negotiated up to 0.9%. This calculator covers housing.
Tips for foreign tenants and buyers
- Many agencies near international schools, bases and business districts advertise English service, but the contract is in Korean — ask for the property confirmation and explanation form (junggae daesangmul hwagin·seolmyeongseo) and check the registry yourself.
- The fee is normally paid on the balance payment date, when the deal closes, not at contract signing.
Details can vary by provincial ordinance. Use your agreement with the agent and the property explanation form as the final reference.