Pyeong Calculator: Square Metres to Pyeong

A pyeong is the area of a square six ja on a side. With the ja fixed at 10/33 of a metre, one pyeong is exactly 400 ÷ 121 = 3.305785… m², and one square metre is 0.3025 pyeong. To convert, multiply square metres by 0.3025 or pyeong by 3.3058. The common shortcut of dividing by 3.3 comes out about 0.2% high, around 0.05 pyeong on 100 m²; this calculator uses the exact ratio. The same unit, with the same definition, is the tsubo in Japan and the ping in Taiwan.

Since July 2007 Korean property listings and contracts must use square metres, but buyers and renters still talk in pyeong, and the confusing part is which area is meant. The exclusive area (jeonyong) is the space inside the front door that only the household uses. The supply area (gonggeup) adds the shared residential space such as stairs, corridors and lifts. The contract area adds further shared space such as the car park and management office, and balconies (service area) are counted in none of them.

A flat described as a 34-pyeong type is usually measured by supply area. An apartment with 84 m² of exclusive area has 105 to 115 m² of supply area depending on the complex, so it is called a 32 to 35 pyeong type, while 84 m² on its own is 25.41 pyeong. Exclusive area divided by supply area is the efficiency ratio: typically 75 to 80% for apartments and around 50% for officetels advertised by contract area, so the same number of pyeong can mean very different living space.

The table below lists common exclusive areas and round pyeong figures. For an exact figure, take the square metres from the sale notice, the building register or the land registry; size-type names are a marketing convention and differ between complexes with the same exclusive area.