In India, a 670ml bottle of Coke is 40 rupees—about 680 KRW. I know India has a massive population, but even then, the beverage market must be incredibly competitive for it to be this cheap.
Back in the 70s when Coca-Cola left India due to a contract dispute, Thums Up took over. It's basically cola with spices, so the aftertaste is a bit 'hot.' But it's tasty. It uses spices similar to what you'd find in Sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch), so it's not just a flat sweetness. The texture is pretty good too. 1.25L is 49 rupees (~780 KRW), and 2.5L is 90 rupees (~1,450 KRW). Coke is priced almost exactly the same, maybe a 1-5 rupee difference.
Some might say I'm not accounting for the cost of living (CoL) difference between Korea and India, but even factoring that in, it's about 1.5x cheaper than what we're paying here. This is based on what Gemini told me after I asked it to calculate the CoL difference.
Looking at Indian prices, it honestly feels like we're being price-gouged in Korea. I know food and drinks are cheap in India, but Korea's Coke prices are still over the top. Even adjusting for CoL, the current price should be half of what it is... sigh.
"Users are debating whether Korean Coke is a ripoff, though many are quickly turned off by India's notorious hygiene reputation and suggest Japan as a more realistic comparison."
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