Cost of moneySouth Korea
Bank spread in South Korea
How much does the banking system take between savers and borrowers?
South Korea's bank spread is 1.46 % — #2 of 62 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.
1.46%
Source: Fiatmap derived metrics (own calculation from separately sourced components)
Banks in South Korea keep about 1.5 pp between what they pay savers and what they charge borrowers.
Among 62 countries
- Rank
- #2 of 62
- lower is better
- Ranked behind
- 97 %
- 60 of 62 countries
In Asia: #2 of 16vs median 5.33 %: −3.88 pp (better)
The bank's cut, drawn
The neighbourhood
| # | Country | Bank spread | vs South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 0.07 % | −1.39 pp |
| 2 | South Korea | 1.46 % | — |
| 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.21 % | +0.75 pp |
| 4 | Hungary | 2.30 % | +0.84 pp |
| 5 | Malaysia | 2.40 % | +0.94 pp |
Lending rate minus deposit rate — what the banking system keeps between savers and borrowers. Our calculation from two IMF-harmonised series.
How to read this figure
Our own calculation: the bank lending rate minus the bank deposit rate, both IMF-harmonised. It is a rough measure of what the banking system takes between savers and borrowers — wide spreads often mean thin competition or high risk premiums. The underlying loan and deposit mixes differ by country, so treat close values as similar rather than identical.