The cost of dining out rose higher than the inflation rate last year, especially for foods and beverages that ordinary citizens usually enjoy, according to Statistics Korea on Thursday.
The cost of eating out increased 2.4 percent in 2017 from the previous year, 0.5 percentage point higher than the inflation rate of 1.9 percent, according to the state agency.
Such a trend continued for the fifth year in a row last year. In 2013, dining costs rose 1.5 percent compared with an inflation rate of 1.3 percent. In 2014, it was 1.4 percent to 1.3 percent. It was 2.3 percent to 0.7 percent in 2015 and 2.5 percent to 1 percent in 2016.
Foods popular with ordinary citizens were heavy affected by price increases. A one-person portion of "gimbap," a rice roll with vegetables and meats, rose 7.8 percent in price last year. Soju, a rice-based liquor, rose 5.2 percent, statistics showed.
The agency gauges dining costs by measuring prices of 39 menu items. Last year's statistics showed that prices were under the inflation rate for only 16 of them. (Yonhap)
