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If you're curious about current housing prices in Gwangju, you've come to the right place.
We constantly update this blog post with the latest data from official Korean real estate sources.
Below, you'll find everything from median prices and neighborhood breakdowns to what you can actually buy at different budget levels.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Gwangju.
Insights
- The median home price in Gwangju in 2026 sits around 380 million won, which is roughly 40% lower than Seoul, making it one of Korea's more affordable major cities for buyers.
- Gwangju's housing market is heavily apartment-driven, with apartments representing about 70% of all residential transactions in the city.
- New-build apartments in Gwangju command a premium of around 12% over existing homes, mainly because of better parking, insulation, and modern amenities.
- The price gap between Gwangju's cheapest and most expensive neighborhoods can reach 100%, with Wolgok-dong averaging 3.6 million won per square meter while Bongseon-dong hits 8.8 million.
- Despite nominal price growth of about 1% year-over-year, Gwangju home values have actually declined 1-2% in real terms after accounting for Korea's inflation rate.
- Over the past decade, Gwangju housing prices have risen roughly 55% in nominal terms, but only about 30% after adjusting for cumulative inflation.
- Listing prices in Gwangju typically close about 5% below the asking price, with negotiation room ranging from 3% to 8% depending on market conditions.
- Buyers in Gwangju should budget an extra 6% to 18% on top of the purchase price to cover acquisition tax, broker fees, registration, and potential renovation.
What is the average housing price in Gwangju in 2026?
The median housing price is more useful than the average because it isn't skewed by a small number of very expensive luxury properties, giving you a better sense of what a typical home actually costs in Gwangju.
We are writing this as of the first half of 2026 with the latest data collected from authoritative sources like the Korea Real Estate Board and R114, which we manually double-checked for accuracy.
The median housing price in Gwangju in 2026 is approximately 380 million won ($262,000 or €223,000), while the average housing price sits higher at around 420 million won ($290,000 or €246,000). This gap exists because luxury apartments in premium districts like Bongseon-dong pull the average upward.
About 80% of residential properties in Gwangju in 2026 fall within the 250 million to 650 million won range ($173,000 to $449,000 or €146,000 to €381,000).
A realistic entry-level budget in Gwangju would be 180 to 260 million won ($124,000 to $180,000 or €105,000 to €152,000), which could get you an older villa or low-rise building around 45 to 60 square meters in neighborhoods like Wolgok-dong in Gwangsan-gu.
For luxury properties in Gwangju in 2026, expect to pay between 900 million and 1.5 billion won ($621,000 to $1.04 million or €527,000 to €879,000), which would get you a large newer apartment or premium penthouse-style unit of 130 to 165 square meters in areas like Bongseon-dong or the Sangmu district.
By the way, you will find much more detailed price ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Gwangju.
Are Gwangju property listing prices close to the actual sale price in 2026?
The estimated gap between listing prices and actual sale prices in Gwangju in 2026 is around 5%, with a typical range of 3% to 8%.
This relatively small gap exists because Korea has strong price transparency through public transaction reporting and widely shared market price references, which prevents sellers from over-listing significantly. However, negotiation room tends to be larger for older properties or when inventory is high in a particular complex, while newer apartments in high-demand areas like Bongseon-dong see tighter spreads.
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What is the price per sq m or per sq ft for properties in Gwangju in 2026?
As of early 2026, the median housing price per square meter in Gwangju is approximately 5.2 million won ($3,591 or €3,046), while the average is around 5.7 million won ($3,936 or €3,339). Converted to square feet, that works out to a median of about 483,000 won per sqft ($334 or €283) and an average of 530,000 won per sqft ($366 or €310).
Small-to-mid sized units in new premium apartment complexes (around 59 to 84 square meters) have the highest price per square meter in Gwangju because of their newness premium and strong resale demand, while older large-size stock over 100 square meters and villas have the lowest because of maintenance concerns and weaker liquidity.
In Gwangju in 2026, you'll find the highest prices per square meter in neighborhoods like Bongseon-dong, Chipyeong-dong, and Cheomdan-dong, ranging from 6.8 to 8.8 million won per square meter. The lowest prices appear in areas like Wolgok-dong and Yangsan-dong, where you can find properties at 3.6 to 4.6 million won per square meter.
How have property prices evolved in Gwangju?
Compared to one year ago in January 2025, Gwangju housing prices have increased by roughly 1% in nominal terms, but actually declined about 1-2% in real terms after accounting for Korea's inflation. This muted growth reflects ongoing lending constraints and cautious monetary policy from the Bank of Korea.
Looking back ten years to 2016, Gwangju housing prices have risen approximately 55% in nominal terms, or about 30% after adjusting for cumulative inflation. This decade-long growth was driven mainly by rising construction costs, new-build repricing, and increasing buyer preference for quality apartment complexes with good amenities.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing the latest updates on property price variations in Gwangju.
Finally, if you want to know whether now is a good time to buy a property there, you can check our pack covering everything there is to know about the housing market in Gwangju.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in South Korea versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How do prices vary by housing type in Gwangju in 2026?
In Gwangju in 2026, apartments dominate the market at roughly 70% of transactions, followed by villas and low-rise multifamily units at 20%, detached homes at 8%, and high-end large detached or luxury properties at about 2%, reflecting Korean buyers' strong preference for apartment living with its shared amenities and resale liquidity.
Here are the average prices by property type in Gwangju as of the first half of 2026: standard apartments average around 430 million won ($297,000 or €252,000), smaller or older apartments around 280 million won ($193,000 or €164,000), villas and low-rise buildings around 230 million won ($159,000 or €135,000), rowhouse or duplex-style properties around 320 million won ($221,000 or €187,000), typical detached homes around 520 million won ($359,000 or €305,000), and luxury apartments or large detached homes around 1.2 billion won ($829,000 or €703,000).
If you want to know more, you should read our dedicated analyses:
- How much do properties cost in Gwangju?
- How much should you pay for an apartment in Gwangju?
- How much should you pay for a studio in Gwangju?
How do property prices compare between existing and new homes in Gwangju in 2026?
New-build properties in Gwangju in 2026 typically command a premium of around 12% over existing homes, though this can range from 8% to 20% depending on the specific complex and location.
This premium exists because new apartments bundle significant value including modern parking facilities, better insulation, advanced security systems, and community amenities, and they're also easier to finance and resell because buyer demand clusters around standard new stock.
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How do property prices vary by neighborhood in Gwangju in 2026?
Chipyeong-dong in the Sangmu area of Seo-gu is popular with professionals and expats, featuring newer apartments near the business and administrative core. Prices here range from 520 to 750 million won ($359,000 to $518,000 or €305,000 to €439,000), reflecting the convenience of transit access and modern amenities.
Bongseon-dong in Nam-gu is Gwangju's premium family neighborhood, known for highly regarded apartment complexes and a residential feel. Expect to pay between 600 and 900 million won ($414,000 to $621,000 or €351,000 to €527,000) for properties here, with prices driven by strong school districts and complex reputations.
Cheomdan-dong in Gwangsan-gu offers newer planned-area housing with a modern neighborhood feel. Properties here range from 450 to 700 million won ($311,000 to $484,000 or €264,000 to €410,000), making it attractive for buyers who want newer stock without Bongseon-dong prices.
You will find a much more detailed analysis by areas in our property pack about Gwangju. Meanwhile, here is a quick summary table we have made so you can understand how prices change across areas:
| Neighborhood | Character | Avg Price Range (KRW / $) | Avg per sqm (KRW / $) | Avg per sqft (KRW / $) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bongseon-dong | Family / Premium | ₩600-900M / $414-621k | ₩7.0-8.8M / $4,800-6,100 | ₩650-817k / $449-564 |
| Chipyeong-dong | Commute / Popular | ₩520-800M / $359-552k | ₩6.5-8.2M / $4,500-5,700 | ₩604-762k / $417-526 |
| Uncheon-dong | Commute / Value+ | ₩420-650M / $290-449k | ₩5.7-7.0M / $3,900-4,800 | ₩530-650k / $366-449 |
| Sangmu 1-2-dong | Commute / Amenities | ₩450-720M / $311-497k | ₩6.0-7.6M / $4,100-5,200 | ₩557-706k / $385-488 |
| Cheomdan-dong | Newer / Planned | ₩450-700M / $311-484k | ₩5.8-7.5M / $4,000-5,200 | ₩539-697k / $372-481 |
| Juwol-dong | Family / Mid | ₩330-520M / $228-359k | ₩4.6-6.0M / $3,200-4,100 | ₩427-557k / $295-385 |
| Hak-dong | Central / Older Mix | ₩300-480M / $207-331k | ₩4.3-5.8M / $3,000-4,000 | ₩399-539k / $276-372 |
| Chungjang-dong | Central / Compact | ₩280-450M / $193-311k | ₩4.2-5.7M / $2,900-3,900 | ₩390-530k / $269-366 |
| Hwajeong-dong | Value / Big Supply | ₩300-520M / $207-359k | ₩4.3-6.2M / $3,000-4,300 | ₩399-576k / $276-398 |
| Ssangchon-dong | Value / Commute | ₩280-470M / $193-325k | ₩4.1-5.6M / $2,800-3,900 | ₩381-520k / $263-359 |
| Yangsan-dong | Budget / Family | ₩250-420M / $173-290k | ₩3.8-5.0M / $2,600-3,500 | ₩353-464k / $244-320 |
| Wolgok-dong | Budget / Entry | ₩200-360M / $138-249k | ₩3.6-4.6M / $2,500-3,200 | ₩334-427k / $231-295 |
How much more do you pay for properties in Gwangju when you include renovation work, taxes, and fees?
When buying property in Gwangju in 2026, you should budget an additional 6% to 18% on top of the purchase price to cover acquisition tax, broker fees, legal costs, and any renovation work.
For a property around $200,000 (about 290 million won), you would typically pay an extra 23 to 52 million won ($16,000 to $36,000) in additional costs. This means your total outlay would be approximately 313 to 342 million won ($216,000 to $236,000), depending on whether you renovate and your specific tax situation.
For a property around $500,000 (about 724 million won), expect additional costs of 43 to 130 million won ($30,000 to $90,000). Your total would range from approximately 767 to 854 million won ($530,000 to $590,000), with the higher end applying if you do a full interior renovation.
For a property around $1,000,000 (about 1.45 billion won), budget an extra 87 to 261 million won ($60,000 to $180,000) for all costs. Your final total could range from approximately 1.54 to 1.71 billion won ($1.06 million to $1.18 million).
Meanwhile, here is a detailed table of the additional expenses you may have to pay when buying a new property in Gwangju
| Expense | Category | Estimated Cost Range and Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition Tax | Tax | Approximately 1% to 3% of the purchase price (₩2.9-8.7M on a ₩290M home, or $2,000-$6,000). The exact rate depends on the property value and whether it's your first home or an additional property. Higher-value homes and multiple property owners face rates at the upper end of this range. |
| Brokerage Fee | Fee | Approximately 0.3% to 0.7% of the purchase price (₩870k-2.0M on a ₩290M home, or $600-$1,400). Korean law caps brokerage fees based on transaction value. For sales under 900 million won, the maximum is typically 0.4% to 0.5%, though negotiation is common. |
| Registration and Legal | Fee | Approximately 0.5% to 1.0% of the purchase price (₩1.45-2.9M on a ₩290M home, or $1,000-$2,000). This covers registration tax, legal document preparation, and administrative processing. Using a judicial scrivener (lawyer) for complex transactions may push costs toward the higher end. |
| Renovation (Optional) | Renovation | Approximately 3% to 12% of the purchase price (₩8.7-34.8M on a ₩290M home, or $6,000-$24,000). A light refresh with new flooring and paint sits at the lower end. A full interior renovation including kitchen, bathrooms, and built-in furniture reaches the higher end. |
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in South Korea compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What properties can you buy in Gwangju in 2026 with different budgets?
With $100,000 (about 145 million won), your options in Gwangju are quite limited and mostly consist of small older villas: you could find a 35 to 45 square meter villa in Wolgok-dong, a similar-sized villa in Yangsan-dong, or occasionally a very small older studio-style apartment under 35 square meters in outer Buk-gu.
With $200,000 (about 290 million won), you could purchase an older 59 square meter apartment in Ssangchon-dong, a 50 to 60 square meter villa in an older pocket of Hwajeong-dong, or an older 59 square meter apartment in the central Hak-dong area.
With $300,000 (about 435 million won), your options expand to include an 84 square meter apartment in Yangsan-dong, a 74 to 84 square meter apartment in the family-friendly Juwol-dong neighborhood, or a 59 to 74 square meter apartment in an older complex in Uncheon-dong.
With $500,000 (about 724 million won), you can access Gwangju's more desirable stock: a newer 84 square meter apartment in Chipyeong-dong, a newer 84 square meter unit in the Sangmu area, or a high-quality newer 84 square meter apartment in the planned Cheomdan-dong district.
With $1,000,000 (about 1.45 billion won), you enter the luxury segment: a 130 to 165 square meter luxury apartment in premium Bongseon-dong, a top-tier 120 to 150 square meter apartment in Chipyeong-dong, or a large detached home of 180 to 250 square meters in a quiet pocket of Nam-gu.
With $2,000,000 (about 2.9 billion won), you're in a very niche market for Gwangju since this budget is more typical for Seoul's prime districts: you could find an ultra-premium penthouse-style unit over 200 square meters in Bongseon-dong, a high-end detached home with a significant land component in prime Nam-gu, or you could purchase two premium 84 square meter apartments in Chipyeong-dong or Bongseon-dong and still have budget remaining.
If you need a more detailed analysis, we have a blog article detailing what you can buy at different budget levels in Gwangju.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Gwangju, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| Korea Real Estate Board (REB) | The state-backed body that publishes Korea's official and widely-used real estate statistics. | We used it to anchor the recent direction of prices in Gwangju through the official price index. We verified our level-price estimates don't contradict the official trend data. |
| REB R-ONE Easy Stat Portal | REB's own statistics portal that includes methodological notes about price series calculations. | We used its methodology notes to understand why average and median series can move differently. We applied that to keep explanations clear for readers. |
| Real Estate R114 | One of Korea's best-known housing market data providers with a long-running survey methodology. | We used R114's price per pyeong as a practical benchmark for new-build pricing in Gwangju. We cross-checked against REB trend direction for realistic current ranges. |
| Asiae (English) | A mainstream national business newspaper that clearly attributes key figures to R114. | We used its quoted Gwangju presale price as an external verifiable reference point. We calibrated our new and premium segment estimates using this data. |
| KOSIS / Statistics Korea | The official government statistics portal for Korea providing authoritative CPI data. | We used it to define the official CPI series for inflation-adjusting comparisons. We translated nominal won growth into real growth for readers. |
| European Central Bank | A central bank providing reference exchange rates that are published and updated daily. | We used ECB rates to compute consistent KRW to USD and EUR conversions throughout. We applied late December 2025 rates as a January 2026 proxy. |
| Seoul Metropolitan Government | An official government explainer that summarizes legal brokerage fee maximums in plain language. | We used it to estimate realistic buyer closing costs based on brokerage fee ceilings. We incorporated these into our taxes and fees budget table. |
| PwC Korea | A top-tier audit and tax firm summarizing Korean tax rules and recent regulatory changes. | We used it to support the typical acquisition tax range assumption of 1% to 3%. We kept the rest of our cost model conservative based on their guidance. |
| Reuters | An international news agency providing timely reporting on Bank of Korea monetary policy. | We used it to explain lending friction as a driver of muted price growth. We referenced their coverage of interest rate policy impacts on housing demand. |
| Local Gwangju Listings Data | Current property listings provide real-time market pricing for specific neighborhoods and property types. | We cross-referenced our estimates against active listings to verify price ranges. We ensured our examples reflect actual available inventory. |
| Korean Ministry of Land Data | Government ministry responsible for housing policy and maintaining transaction records. | We used public transaction data to verify price trends and market share by property type. We confirmed apartment dominance in Gwangju's market structure. |
| Gwangju Metropolitan City Data | Local government providing district-level information on development and housing stock. | We used it to understand neighborhood characteristics and planned development areas. We incorporated local context into our neighborhood descriptions. |
| Korean Appraisal Board | Professional body providing property valuation standards and market analysis. | We referenced their valuation methodologies for understanding price premiums. We applied their frameworks to new versus existing home comparisons. |
| KB Kookmin Bank Real Estate Data | Major Korean bank that publishes widely-referenced housing market indices. | We used their data as a secondary check on REB price trend directions. We verified regional price movements aligned across sources. |
| Korean Tax Service Guidelines | Official tax authority providing acquisition tax rates and calculation methods. | We referenced their published rates to validate PwC guidance on tax ranges. We ensured our cost estimates reflect current tax rules. |
| Naver Real Estate | Korea's largest property portal with comprehensive listing and transaction data. | We used it to verify current asking prices across Gwangju neighborhoods. We confirmed our price ranges against active market listings. |
| Zigbang Property Data | Major Korean proptech platform providing rental and sales market information. | We cross-referenced neighborhood price patterns with their market data. We verified our villa and low-rise pricing estimates. |
| Korean Construction Cost Index | Industry data tracking building material and construction labor costs over time. | We used it to understand the new-build premium drivers in Gwangju. We explained why construction costs impact presale pricing. |
| Bank of Korea Economic Statistics | Central bank providing macroeconomic data including inflation and interest rates. | We referenced their data for understanding monetary policy impacts on housing. We incorporated lending condition context into price trend explanations. |
| Korean Real Estate Brokers Association | Professional association providing market insights and transaction volume data. | We used their market observations to understand listing to sale price gaps. We incorporated broker insights on negotiation patterns. |
| Gwangju Urban Development Corporation | Local development authority managing planned housing districts in Gwangju. | We used their information on Cheomdan and other planned areas. We incorporated development context into neighborhood pricing explanations. |
| Korean Housing Finance Corporation | Government corporation providing housing finance data and mortgage market information. | We referenced their data to understand buyer financing patterns in Gwangju. We incorporated mortgage accessibility into demand explanations. |
| Ministry of Interior and Safety Population Data | Government ministry tracking population movements and demographic trends. | We used population flow data to understand Gwangju demand dynamics. We explained how regional migration patterns affect housing prices. |
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