Budget · Seoul · South Korea
Seoul on a budget
What a trip to Seoul really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Francisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Seoul is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $50–$90 per person per day on a tight budget, $120–$230 mid-range and $350–$900 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–February.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $50–$90 a day
- Mid-range
- $120–$230 a day
- Luxury
- $350–$900 a day
- Local currency
- KRW
- Free sights
- 11
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $50–$90 | $150–$270 | $250–$450 | $350–$630 |
| Mid-range | $120–$230 | $360–$690 | $600–$1,150 | $840–$1,610 |
| Luxury | $350–$900 | $1,050–$2,700 | $1,750–$4,500 | $2,450–$6,300 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Seoul, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Subway ride | about ₩1,500–₩2,000 |
| Coffee at a café | about ₩4,500–₩6,500 |
| Kimchi stew or bibimbap lunch | about ₩9,000–₩13,000 |
| Korean barbecue dinner | about ₩18,000–₩30,000 per person |
| Bottle of soju in a restaurant | about ₩5,000–₩7,000 |
| Palace entry | about ₩1,000–₩3,000 |
| Street-food snack | about ₩3,000–₩6,000 |
Money-saving tips
- Wear hanbok to enter the palaces free, and use free museums such as the National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial.
- Office-district lunch sets around Gwanghwamun and Euljiro are among the best-value meals in the city.
- Convenience stores sell good, inexpensive meals: gimbap, ramyeon, triangle rice balls and drinks.
- Shops displaying a tax-free sign can refund VAT on purchases above a minimum spend; bring your passport.
- Stay in Hongdae or Jongno guesthouses for lower rates than Gangnam and Myeongdong hotels.
- Avoid Chuseok and Seollal for train travel, when KTX seats sell out and some shops close.
Free things to do
- Bukchon Hanok Village — On the hillside between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, hundreds of traditional tiled-roof hanok houses line steep alleys, many still family homes.
- Insadong and Ssamziegil — Insadong-gil is lined with galleries, tea houses and shops selling hanji paper, celadon and calligraphy brushes.
- Myeongdong — Myeongdong's pedestrian streets are lined with K-beauty shops handing out samples, and from late afternoon food stalls sell tornado potatoes, egg bread and grilled lobster tails.
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza — Zaha Hadid's curving, aluminium-clad DDP hosts design exhibitions and fashion events, with a rooftop garden and the excavated remains of the old city wall and Dongdaemun Stadium beside it.
- National Museum of Korea — Korea's largest museum covers the peninsula from the Paleolithic to the Joseon dynasty, with gold crowns from the Silla kingdom, Goryeo celadon and a ten-storey marble pagoda in the main hall.
- War Memorial of Korea — This large museum tells the story of conflict on the peninsula, with most space given to the 1950–53 Korean War.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and families
Jongno and Insadong
Palaces, hanok lanes, tea houses and traditional craft shops
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, solo travellers and shopping
Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong
University district of buskers, clubs, indie shops and cafés
Eating well for less
- Tteokbokki — Street stalls in Myeongdong and markets, and the Sindang-dong tteokbokki alley near Dongdaemun.
- Mung-bean pancake — The pancake stalls at Gwangjang Market, where the batter is ground in front of you.
- Hotteok — Street stalls in Insadong, Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong, especially in the cold months.
Getting around for less
T-money card
A rechargeable transport card sold and topped up at convenience stores and station machines, valid on subway, buses and many taxis across Korea.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Seoul cost?
About $600–$1,150 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $250–$450 on a tight budget.
+Is Seoul expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Wear hanbok to enter the palaces free, and use free museums such as the National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial.
+How much money do I need per day in Seoul?
Roughly $50–$90 on a budget and $120–$230 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Seoul?
Usually in January–February.