Doing Laundry, Cooking, and Cleaning... The Value of Full-Time Housewife's Housework Labor, 28 Million Won Annually

Estimated Annual Value of Housework at 28.37 Million KRW for Laundry, Cooking, Cleaning, and Caregiving
Report Suggests Value May Rise with More Recent Data

A survey result revealed that the value of housework performed by full-time housewives in South Korea is estimated to be about 28 million KRW annually. This converts the value of unpaid housework such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, caregiving, and grocery shopping into monetary terms.

On the 25th, the Seoul Foundation of Women & Family announced in the report titled ‘The Value of Women’s Unpaid Housework as Seen Through Household Production Satellite Accounts’ that the annual value of unpaid housework per married non-employed woman is estimated at approximately 28.37 million KRW.

This figure was calculated by multiplying the average daily housework hours of married non-employed women (7.03 hours per day) from Statistics Korea’s 2019 ‘Time Use Survey’ by the hourly valuation of housework (11,209 KRW), and then by the working period (30 days per month, 12 months).

The report explained, “Currently, the value of unpaid housework is calculated using the market replacement cost method, but if calculated using the opportunity cost method?which considers the income sacrificed from employment due to housework?the estimate could be higher.”

Since this survey is based on the most recent data released in 2019, there is a high possibility that the current estimated value will increase when more recent conditions are reflected.

According to Statistics Korea data released every five years, as of 2019, the total value of unpaid housework was 491 trillion KRW, of which women’s unpaid housework accounted for 356 trillion KRW, or 72.5%. Men’s unpaid housework value was 135 trillion KRW, making up 27.5% of the total.

Based on the population aged 15 and older, the per capita value of unpaid housework was 9.49 million KRW. For women, it was 13.8 million KRW, and for men, 5.21 million KRW, meaning the value of women’s unpaid housework was 2.6 times higher than that of men.

By age group, those aged 60 and above accounted for the largest share of unpaid housework value at 27.5%, followed by ages 30?39 (23.1%), 40?49 (22.9%), 50?59 (18.3%), and 15?29 (8.1%).

The report analyzed, “As long as family life continues, housework can be performed beyond the age of 65 until death.”

It added, “When actively discussing issues such as how to evaluate the housework value of dual-income women and the participation of other family members in housework, the practical value of housework can be concretely felt.”