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After loan interest and money sent home,
what is actually left?

Lenders look at gross income, but loan payments, rent and money sent to family all come out of take-home pay. “I can afford it” and “I can live on what’s left” are different questions.

NFM Apps guide · 2026-10-03

Gross vs after-tax view

Korea’s DSR (debt service ratio) used in loan screening compares yearly principal and interest with gross income. Payments, though, come out of take-home pay after insurance and tax. If take-home is around 80% of gross, the same payment feels heavier than the ratio suggests.

This is general information about household arithmetic, not loan, investment or remittance advice. Loan terms, rates and transfer fees vary by provider; confirm them before you sign.

Outflow-to-take-home ratio

Using the app’s sample values (50M KRW, 2 dependents, 200,000 meal allowance, 300,000 KRW monthly loan interest):

ItemKRW
Gross per month4,166,667
Net (pre-loan)3,573,254
Monthly loan interest300,000
What lands in your pocket3,273,254
Interest as share of take-homeabout 8.4%

Principal repayment reduces your debt, so it is different from interest. Run it twice: once with full payments to see what you can live on, and once with interest only to see what is truly gone. The same field works for any fixed outflow such as rent or a regular transfer home.

This guide is general information about pay, tax and social insurance in Korea, not tax, legal or labor advice. Rates and rules change every year and depend on your visa, nationality, residency status and employer. Confirm actual amounts with your payslip and payroll team, the National Tax Service (helpline 126, foreign-language service available), the National Pension Service (1355), the National Health Insurance Service (1577-1000) and the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1350). The app’s result is an estimate based on 2025 rates and has no legal effect.

When rates or exchange rates move

For a variable-rate loan, a 1 percentage point rise adds roughly balance × 1% ÷ 12 per month: about 167,000 KRW on a 200M balance. If you send a fixed amount in your home currency, a weaker won means more won each month; enter the higher won amount to see what remains.

Using the app’s loan field

Monthly loan interest 300,000 entered, take-home 3,273,254 and Net (pre-loan) 3,573,254
Loan field
1

“Monthly loan interest (optional)”

Enter monthly interest, a full payment or another fixed outflow in the last field. The big figure at the top is what remains after it; “Net (pre-loan)” below shows take-home before it.

2

The Chicken tab uses the same figure

Every number on the Chicken tab is based on take-home after this field. Set it to 0 and compare to see how many chickens a month the outflow costs.

FAQ

Is loan interest deductible at year-end?

Some housing loan interest can be deducted if strict conditions are met. Check NTS guidance; the app does not include it.

What ratio is safe?

There is no single answer. List rent, insurance, phone and savings goals next to it and judge whether what remains covers your life.

Sources: National Tax Service (English)

Salary to Chicken: Take-Home

No sign-up, works offline, and your salary data stays on your phone. Free on Android, in English and Korean.

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