Cooking samgyeopsal, or Korean-style grilled pork belly, at home has become less economical in South Korea as the cost of a one-person ingredient basket rose 11.8% year on year to 10,191 won in the first half of the year, according to the Korea Consumer Agency. The basket covers 200 grams of pork belly, 70 grams of lettuce, 50 grams of kimchi, 15 grams of garlic and 15 grams of ssamjang, a seasoned dipping paste. Pork belly rose 13.6% to 7,866 won per 200 grams, while ssamjang increased 19.8% and garlic 10.2%. Restaurant prices rose 2.7% to 17,745 won per serving, narrowing the savings from eating at home from 8,173 won to 7,554 won. A family of four now spends more than 40,000 won on ingredients alone. Other popular dishes have also become more expensive as record summer heat, stronger seasonal demand, poor harvests, weaker fisheries output and higher labor, rent and operating costs put pressure on prices. Seoul's average samgyetang price reached 18,192 won last month, naengmyeon rose to 12,692 won and gimbap to 3,869 won. Restaurant prices are likely to keep rising moderately in the second half of the year, said Lim Sang-min, head of the livelihood prices team at the Korea Price Research Center.