Pyeong ↔ square meters converter
Koreans still describe homes in 평 (pyeong). Type a number in any box and the others update.
How big is one pyeong?
One pyeong is exactly 400/121 m² ≈ 3.3058 m², or about 35.58 ft². It comes from an old unit equal to a square 6 cheok on each side (about 1.82 m × 1.82 m), roughly the size of two tatami mats.
Quick mental math: pyeong × 3.3 ≈ m², and m² × 0.3 ≈ pyeong.
Since 2007, contracts and official listings in Korea must use square meters, but people, ads and real-estate agents still talk in pyeong every day.
Exclusive area vs. supply area
This is the part that confuses most newcomers. Korean apartments have two main sizes:
- Exclusive area (전용면적): the space inside your unit that only you use: rooms, kitchen, bathrooms. Balconies that were extended are usually not included.
- Supply area (공급면적): exclusive area plus your share of shared spaces such as hallways, stairs and elevators.
When someone says “a 34평 apartment” (34평형), they usually mean the supply area. The exclusive area of that apartment is typically about 84 m² (about 25.4 pyeong). So the space you actually live in is smaller than the pyeong number suggests.
| What people say | Exclusive area | = pyeong | Typical layout |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Studio / one-room” | 20–33 m² | 6–10 | 1 room, open kitchen |
| 24평형 · 25평형 | 59 m² | 17.8 | 2–3 bedrooms, 1–2 baths |
| 32평형 · 34평형 | 84 m² | 25.4 | 3 bedrooms, 2 baths |
| 40평형대 | about 114 m² | 34.5 | 4 bedrooms, 2 baths |
Supply area for the same exclusive size varies by building, so treat the “What people say” column as a rough guide. Always check the m² figures in the listing or contract.
Tips when you look at a listing
- Look for 전용 next to a number in m²: that is the size you actually live in.
- For one-rooms and officetels, the exclusive area is often much smaller than the supply area, because shared spaces take a bigger share.
- Prices are often compared per pyeong (평당). Use the Man/Eok converter to read prices like 평당 4천만 원.