"Having a Baby and Spending 40 Million Won on a Private Room"... Average Postpartum Care Center Cost in Seoul is 4.5 Million Won

More than 10 Million Won Every Two Weeks at 23 Locations

A newborn in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. Photo by Yonhap News

The average usage fee for a standard postpartum care room in Seoul (based on 2 weeks) has been found to exceed 4.5 million KRW. The most expensive postpartum care center nationwide charges 40.2 million KRW for a special room over 2 weeks.

On the 29th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare released data on postpartum care centers as of June this year. According to the data, among 452 postpartum care centers nationwide, 445 operate standard rooms with an average usage fee of 3.467 million KRW. This represents an 8.4% increase from 3.199 million KRW during the same period last year. The fee has been rising steadily, following 3.283 million KRW at the end of last year, six months ago.

Based on 2 weeks, the most expensive standard room fee nationwide is 17 million KRW at A Postpartum Care Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. There are five centers where the standard room fee exceeds 10 million KRW, including this one. Thirty-three centers charge between 5 million KRW and less than 10 million KRW. The average fee for special rooms at 332 postpartum care centers is 5.044 million KRW for 2 weeks, up 11.8% from 4.513 million KRW during the same period last year. B Postpartum Care Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is the most expensive at 40.2 million KRW (2 weeks), and there are 23 centers charging over 10 million KRW.

By region, the average usage fee for a standard postpartum care room in Seoul is the highest at 4.545 million KRW, followed by Sejong at 3.766 million KRW and Gwangju at 3.701 million KRW. In contrast, Jeonnam has the lowest average fee for a standard room at 1.701 million KRW. The average fee for standard rooms at private postpartum care centers is 3.552 million KRW, nearly double that of public postpartum care centers at 1.751 million KRW.