# Your First Month in Korea: The Settling-In Checklist > A practical first-month checklist for new arrivals in Korea. ARC, SIM card, bank account, transportation, essential apps, home internet, and furnishing your place without big upfront costs. Canonical: https://setkora.com/guides/first-month-in-korea-settling-checklist (also in 15 languages: https://setkora.com/guides//first-month-in-korea-settling-checklist) The first month in Korea is a chain of setup tasks, and the order matters. Some things unlock others. This checklist walks through the sequence most new arrivals follow, so you spend your energy on the new life, not the paperwork. Each item notes what it unlocks and what you need for it. ## Week 1. Phone number and T-money - **Get a SIM card**: a prepaid SIM needs only your passport and gives you the Korean number every other signup asks for. Full guide: [SIM card & phone in Korea](https://setkora.com/guides/korea-sim-card-phone-guide). - **Get a T-money card**: sold at convenience stores; tap for subway, bus, and taxis nationwide. Register it in apps later for online top-up. - **Install the essential apps**: Naver Map or Kakao Map (Google Maps is limited for directions in Korea), Papago for translation, KakaoTalk for messaging, and a food-delivery app once your address is set. ## Apply for your ARC (Alien Registration Card) early The ARC is the key that unlocks nearly everything else. Postpaid phone plans, most bank services, home internet contracts, and more. Apply at your local immigration office as soon as you can (reservations are made online via the Hi Korea site), and expect processing to take several weeks during busy seasons. Until it arrives, your passport plus a prepaid SIM covers daily life. *Immigration requirements change and vary by visa type. Always check the official Hi Korea site or your school/employer's guidance for current rules. This checklist is general information, not legal or visa advice.* ## Open a Korean bank account With your passport, ARC, and Korean phone number, you can open a bank account. Needed for salary, rent payments, and most auto-payments. Banks differ in what they ask (some want proof of employment or enrollment, and services can be limited in your first months in Korea), so bring every document you have and ask what that branch requires. Once the account exists, set up the bank's app right away. Most day-to-day banking in Korea happens in-app. ## Home setup. Internet and utilities - **Home internet**: check whether your building already includes it; if not, providers install within days. Contracts are usually multi-year, so match the term to your stay: [home internet guide](https://setkora.com/guides/home-internet-korea-foreigners). - **Utilities**: electricity, gas, and water are often already connected in rentals; confirm with your landlord how each is billed and whether any need your name. City gas for heating/cooking typically requires an activation visit if it was shut off. ## Furnish without the big upfront cost. Rent, don't buy Furnishing an empty apartment is where budgets break. The Korean solution is **monthly rental (렌탈)**: refrigerators, washing machines, water purifiers, air conditioners, beds, and more for a monthly fee. Delivery and installation handled, maintenance often included, and no huge one-time purchase that you'd have to resell when you leave. The usual first five: a **refrigerator**, **washing machine**, **water purifier** (rental is the norm in Korea. Filter service is included), **air conditioner** if your place lacks one, and a **bed**. See the [first-home appliance checklist](https://setkora.com/guides/first-home-setup-korea-appliance-checklist) for the full list with priorities. On SETKORA you can browse 2,959+ rental products with monthly prices **in 15 languages** and apply in about 30 seconds. We relay everything to the rental company and handle the Korean-language contract process. Note that rentals run on a contract term, and a common eligibility condition is having roughly a year or more left on your stay; exact conditions are confirmed during a free consultation in your language. ## Month-one extras that pay off later - **Learn your address in Korean** (도로명 주소): you'll type it constantly for deliveries. - **Register for online payment**: Korean e-commerce leans on local payment apps; setting one up early makes life easier. - **Find your neighborhood essentials**: nearest immigration office, international clinic or pharmacy, and your district office (주민센터), which handles many civil services. - **Keep digital copies** of your passport, visa, ARC, and housing contract in secure storage. ## FAQ **Q: What order should I do things in?** A: Prepaid SIM first (passport only), then the ARC application, then bank account and home internet once the ARC arrives. Furnishing via rental can start as soon as you have a Korean phone number to receive the confirmation call. **Q: Can I rent appliances during my first month in Korea?** A: Generally yes. You can browse and apply right away, and eligibility is confirmed during consultation. A common condition is having about a year or more remaining on your stay, since rentals run on a contract term. **Q: Do I need Korean to get through all this setup?** A: For most steps, no. Airports, banks in major areas, and immigration offices handle foreigners daily. For furnishing, SETKORA works in 15 languages and handles the Korean-language rental contract process for you.