How Much Does a Trip to Korea Cost? A Daily Budget
Plan on about 60,000 to 80,000 won a day on a lean budget with a hostel dorm bed, and about 105,000 to 175,000 won mid-range with a private room, excluding flights and shopping. Meals and transit are cheap; lodging and paid attractions decide the total. These are illustrative estimates, so confirm current prices.
- Lean day
- About 60,000 to 80,000 won per person
- Mid-range day
- About 105,000 to 175,000 won per person
- Cheap staples
- Subway ride about 1,550 won; kimchi stew set about 8,650 won
- Official sites
- VisitKorea, Visit Seoul
What should I know before I budget?
Prices checked October 29, 2026
Korea has no single official "tourist daily cost", so every total here is our own arithmetic on published prices. Food and transit figures come from the Korea Consumer Agency price data and city transit pages; lodging ranges are unofficial because official pages list no rates.
- Worth knowing: Figures are per person, exclude flights, shopping and tours, and assume you stay in Seoul.
- A common mistake: Budgeting from restaurant "averages" and forgetting that lodging usually costs more than food and transport combined.
- Local tip: Treat the totals as a starting range, then replace each line with a live price from the linked official pages.
How much do meals cost in Korea?
A typical sit-down Korean meal costs about 8,000 to 12,500 won in Seoul, and simple snacks such as gimbap cost under 4,000 won. Korea Consumer Agency data reported by SBS Biz lists Seoul's March 2026 averages, published April 16, 2026.
| Dish | Average price |
|---|---|
| Gimbap | About 3,800 won |
| Jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) | About 7,700 won |
| Kimchi stew set | About 8,650 won |
| Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) | About 10,000 won |
| Bibimbap | About 11,600 won |
| Naengmyeon (cold noodles) | About 12,500 won |
| Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) | About 18,150 won |
Cafe drinks add up: an unofficial 2026 price guide puts coffee at about 3,600 to 6,000 won and all-you-can-eat pork barbecue at about 15,000 to 35,000 won, but we could not verify those on an official page. For dish ideas see our 20 Korean dishes to try and street food guide.
Practical example: gimbap (3,800), a kimchi stew set (8,654) and kalguksu (10,038) total 22,492 won for three meals, before coffee.
How much does local transport cost?
A subway ride costs about 1,550 won with a transport card, and a Climate Card day pass is 5,000 won. Our Seoul subway guide covers card fares of 1,550 won and single tickets of 1,650 won, plus a refundable deposit.
- From the airport: The AREX all-stop train costs about 4,150 to 4,750 won; a taxi costs more. The Incheon Airport taxi guide lists a standard taxi base fare of 4,800 won plus distance and night surcharges.
- Around the city: Four rides at 1,550 won is 6,200 won, so a pass pays off only on busy days. See Seoul transit passes compared and the Seoul Climate Card page.
- Between cities: KTX fares vary by route and date; check Seoul to Busan KTX times and book on the official site.
What do sights and lodging cost?
Many sights are cheap or free, but lodging is the biggest line item at roughly 25,000 to 90,000 won a night. Official pages list no nightly rates, so the lodging ranges below are unofficial; see our budget stays guide for the sources.
| Item | Approximate cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | 25,000 to 45,000 won a night | Unofficial estimate |
| Motel room | 40,000 to 70,000 won a night | Unofficial; per room |
| Budget business hotel | 50,000 to 90,000 won a night | Unofficial; per room |
| Gyeongbokgung Palace | 3,000 won | Free in a full hanbok |
| N Seoul Tower observatory | About 29,000 won | Cable car 15,000 won round trip |
Palace fees and the tower prices come from our own checked guides: Seoul's five palaces compared, getting up N Seoul Tower and free things to do in Seoul.
What does a daily budget look like?
A lean day is about 60,000 to 80,000 won and a mid-range day about 105,000 to 175,000 won per person. These are our sums from the prices above, not an official figure.
| Line | Lean day | Mid-range day |
|---|---|---|
| Lodging | 25,000 to 45,000 won (dorm) | 50,000 to 90,000 won (own room) |
| Food | About 26,100 won (3 cheap meals + coffee) | About 47,600 won (incl. barbecue dinner) |
| Transport | About 6,200 won (4 rides) | 5,000 won (day pass) |
| Sights | 3,000 won (one palace) | 3,000 to 32,000 won |
| Total | About 60,000 to 80,000 won | About 105,000 to 175,000 won |
Practical example: five lean days come to roughly 300,000 to 400,000 won, and five mid-range days to roughly 530,000 to 875,000 won, before flights, tax-free shopping and day trips.
How do I build my own budget?
Price your bed first, add a food and transport allowance, then list the paid sights you actually want.
- Fix your nights. Check live rates on Visit Seoul stay pages and multiply by your nights.
- Add food. Use 22,000 to 48,000 won a day depending on how often you eat sit-down meals.
- Add transport. Count airport transfer, daily rides and any KTX leg.
- List paid sights. Keep free options in mind and pick two or three paid ones.
- Add a buffer. Reserve about 10 to 15 percent for shopping and surprises, and review cash or card in Korea for payment planning.
FAQ
How much money do I need per day in Korea?
About 60,000 to 80,000 won a day on a lean plan with a dorm bed, and roughly 105,000 to 175,000 won mid-range with a private room, before flights and shopping.
Is Korea expensive for tourists?
Meals and transit are cheap: the Seoul average for a kimchi stew set was 8,654 won in March 2026 and a subway ride is about 1,550 won. Lodging and paid attractions drive the total.
Is a transit pass cheaper than a T-money card?
Only if you ride about four or more times a day. A Climate Card day pass costs 5,000 won plus a 3,000 won card, against roughly 1,550 won per ride with T-money.
Do I need cash in Korea?
Cards cover most spending, but carry small cash for market stalls and some small shops. See our cash or card guide before you go.
Official sources and useful links
Links open in a new tab. Prices above are approximate; verify on these pages.
- VisitKorea (Korea Tourism Organization) official tourism information and accommodation guidance
- Visit Seoul city attractions, stays and transport information
- Seoul Climate Card official tourist transit pass details
- Incheon Airport taxi guide airport taxi types and fares
- SBS Biz report on Korea Consumer Agency prices Seoul restaurant averages for March 2026 (Korean)
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