Seoul costs most visitors 75,000 to 230,000 won a day ($55 to $165), and almost all the difference is the room. Food, transport and sights are cheap: a subway ride is 1,550 won, a bowl of gukbap 10,000 to 12,000, and Gyeongbokgung palace 3,000 won or nothing if you wear a hanbok. Beds, cafés, cocktails and observation decks are where Seoul gets expensive. Prices below are in Korean won with dollar equivalents at roughly 1,400 won to the US dollar, current for 2026; for the rest of the country, see our South Korea costs guide.
Seoul daily budgets#
Per person, two people sharing a room, including accommodation, food, city transport and sights:
| Budget | Per day (KRW) | Per day (USD) | What it buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | 75,000 to 100,000 | $55 to $70 | Hostel dorm in Hongdae, kimbap and market meals, subway on a Climate Card, palaces and free museums |
| Mid-range | 130,000 to 230,000 | $95 to $165 | Business hotel in Myeongdong or Jongno, BBQ dinners, cafés, a taxi at night, one paid attraction a day |
| Comfortable | 300,000+ | $215+ | 4 and 5-star hotels in Gangnam or by the palaces, restaurant dining with drinks, taxis, guided tours |
Solo travellers wanting a private room should add 30 to 50 percent. Seoul runs about 15 to 25 percent above the national average, almost entirely because of hotels.
Beds
Dorm 22,000 to 40,000 won, guesthouse double 60,000 to 90,000, business hotel 100,000 to 170,000, 5-star from 350,000.
Food
Kimbap 3,500 to 5,000, gukbap or bibimbap 10,000 to 14,000, pork BBQ dinner 25,000 to 40,000 per person with soju.
Transport
Subway 1,550, bus 1,500, 3-day Climate Card 10,000, taxi flagfall 4,800, AREX from Incheon 5,350.
Sights
Palaces 1,000 to 3,000, combined palace pass 6,000, national museums free, Seoul Sky around 31,000.
Nightlife
Convenience-store soju about 2,000, bar beer 5,000 to 8,000, cocktails 15,000 to 25,000.
Extras
T-money card 3,000 to 4,000, eSIM 20,000 to 35,000 for 5 to 10 days, jjimjilbang 15,000 to 20,000.
Hotel and hostel prices by area#
Where you sleep sets your budget. Typical 2026 prices per room per night outside holiday peaks:
| Area | Dorm bed | Guesthouse or budget double | Mid-range hotel | 4 to 5-star |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hongdae and Sinchon | 22,000 to 35,000 | 55,000 to 85,000 | 100,000 to 150,000 | 180,000 to 280,000 |
| Myeongdong | 28,000 to 40,000 | 70,000 to 100,000 | 120,000 to 190,000 | 220,000 to 400,000 |
| Jongno and Insadong | 25,000 to 38,000 | 70,000 to 110,000 (hanok 100,000 to 250,000) | 110,000 to 170,000 | 250,000 to 450,000 |
| Dongdaemun | 25,000 to 35,000 | 60,000 to 85,000 | 90,000 to 140,000 | 170,000 to 260,000 |
| Gangnam and Jamsil | 30,000 to 40,000 | 70,000 to 100,000 | 140,000 to 220,000 | 300,000 to 800,000+ |
| Itaewon | 25,000 to 38,000 | 65,000 to 95,000 | 120,000 to 180,000 | 300,000+ |
Dongdaemun and the area around Seoul Station give the best value for central hotels, with Line 4 and Line 2 to everywhere. Bukchon hanok guesthouses cost more for less space but you sleep on heated floors in a traditional house. Prices climb 20 to 40 percent around cherry blossom in early April, the autumn-leaf weeks of late October, and big K-pop concert weekends; Seollal and Chuseok are cheaper in Seoul because locals leave. A jjimjilbang (24-hour bathhouse) with a sleeping hall costs 15,000 to 20,000 won for a night.
Food and drink prices#
Eating Korean food in Seoul is good value; cafés and imported food are not.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Kimbap roll | 3,500 to 5,000 won |
| Convenience-store lunch box | 4,500 to 7,000 won |
| Gukbap, kalguksu, bibimbap | 10,000 to 14,000 won |
| Bindaetteok pancake at Gwangjang Market | 5,000 to 8,000 won |
| Samgyeopsal pork belly, per portion | 16,000 to 20,000 won |
| Hanu beef, per portion | 35,000 to 60,000 won |
| Whole fried chicken | 20,000 to 28,000 won |
| Americano in a café | 4,500 to 7,000 won |
| Tasting menu, high-end restaurant | 150,000 to 400,000 won |
A day of kimbap or a bakery for breakfast, a 10,000-won lunch set and a market or chicken dinner costs about 30,000 won. A BBQ night with soju for two runs 50,000 to 70,000 won for pork, 100,000 and up for beef. Many sit-down restaurants offer lunch sets at 9,000 to 13,000 won that cost far more at dinner, and side dishes are always free. Our Korean food guide explains what to order.
Transport costs#
Getting around Seoul is cheap. With a T-money card the subway costs 1,550 won for the first 10 km and buses about 1,500 won, with free transfers. The tourist Climate Card gives unlimited Seoul subway and bus rides for 5,000 won (1 day), 8,000 (2), 10,000 (3), 15,000 (5) or 20,000 won (7 days), plus 3,000 won for the card, so a five-day stay costs 18,000 won in transport if you ride constantly.
From Incheon Airport, AREX all-stop trains cost 5,350 won and the Express about 11,000 won; limousine buses are 17,000 to 18,000 won and a taxi 65,000 to 90,000 won. Taxis start at 4,800 won and a 20-minute ride across the centre is 12,000 to 18,000, with a 20 to 40 percent surcharge late at night. A KTX day trip to Busan is 59,800 won each way. See our Seoul getting around guide for routes and passes.
Palace fees, the combined pass and museums#
Seoul’s royal palaces are among the cheapest major sights in Asia. Official adult prices:
| Site | Adult ticket | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | 3,000 won | Tuesday |
| Changdeokgung | 3,000 won | Monday |
| Changdeokgung Secret Garden (Huwon) tour | 5,000 won extra | Monday |
| Changgyeonggung | 1,000 won | Monday |
| Deoksugung | 1,000 won | Monday |
| Jongmyo shrine | 1,000 won | Tuesday |
| Integrated palace ticket (four palaces + Jongmyo) | 6,000 won | - |
The integrated ticket gives one entry to each site within six months for 6,000 won against 9,000 won bought separately; it does not include the Secret Garden, which needs its own timed ticket booked online or on the day. If a closing day falls on a public holiday the palace opens and closes the next day instead. Wearing a hanbok gets you into the palaces and Jongmyo free, and renting one near Gyeongbokgung costs 15,000 to 30,000 won for two to four hours. Children and older visitors often get in free; check at the gate.
Many museums are free: the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum and the War Memorial of Korea charge nothing for their permanent galleries. Seodaemun Prison costs about 3,000 won and the MMCA about 2,000 to 5,000 won depending on the branch.
Observatories, theme parks and tours#
The modern attractions cost the most:
- Seoul Sky, Lotte World Tower: about 31,000 won for the deck on floors 117 to 123; combination tickets with the aquarium cost more.
- N Seoul Tower observatory: about 26,000 won. The Namsan cable car is about 15,000 won return, or walk up free in 30 to 40 minutes.
- Lotte World: day tickets in the 60,000 to 70,000-won range, cheaper after 4pm and via online deals.
- DMZ tours: 60,000 to 120,000 won, the Joint Security Area versions at the top end when running.
- Hanbok rental, cooking class, noraebang: 15,000 to 30,000 won, 60,000 to 100,000 won and 15,000 to 30,000 won an hour per room respectively.
The Discover Seoul Pass is a foreigner-only card that gives free entry to a list of paid attractions (palaces, observatories, museums, Lotte World and others) for 24, 48, 72 or 120 hours, and doubles as a T-money card you top up separately. Official prices are roughly 50,000 won for 24 hours to about 90,000 for 72 hours, often discounted through online resellers. It only pays off if you hit two or three of the expensive attractions a day; with the palaces at 1,000 to 3,000 won, most visitors save more by paying at the gate. Check the current attraction list and prices on the official site before buying.
Nightlife and drinking costs#
Drinks are where Seoul budgets leak. A bottle of soju is about 2,000 won in a convenience store but 5,000 to 7,000 won in a restaurant, and a draft beer 5,000 to 8,000 won in a Hongdae or Euljiro bar. Craft beer runs 8,000 to 12,000 won, cocktails in Itaewon or Gangnam 15,000 to 25,000 won, and rooftop or hotel bars 25,000 won and up. Hongdae club entry is about 10,000 to 25,000 won, often with a drink; Gangnam clubs charge 30,000 won or more on weekends. Drinking outside a convenience store, which is legal and normal, is the cheapest night out in the city. See the Korean nightlife guide for districts.
Sample 3-day and 5-day Seoul totals#
Per person, two sharing, including the Incheon airport transfer both ways and excluding international flights:
| Trip | Backpacker | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | 250,000 to 320,000 KRW ($180 to $230) | 430,000 to 700,000 KRW ($310 to $500) | 950,000+ KRW ($680+) |
| 5 days | 400,000 to 520,000 KRW ($290 to $370) | 700,000 to 1,150,000 KRW ($500 to $820) | 1,550,000+ KRW ($1,100+) |
A sample mid-range five days: four nights in a 140,000-won Myeongdong hotel split two ways (280,000), food and drink at 60,000 a day (300,000), AREX both ways (10,700), a 5-day Climate Card with the card (18,000), two late taxis (30,000), palaces on the integrated pass plus the Secret Garden (11,000), Seoul Sky (31,000), a DMZ tour (80,000) and an eSIM (27,000). That comes to about 788,000 won, or roughly $560 per person.
How to save money in Seoul#
- Buy the Climate Card: 10,000 won for three days of unlimited subway and bus rides.
- Use the 6,000-won palace pass or wear a hanbok: the pass saves a third; a hanbok makes every palace free.
- Eat lunch sets and market meals: Gwangjang, Namdaemun and Mangwon feed you for 10,000 won.
- Stay near Dongdaemun or Seoul Station: central, on two subway lines, and cheaper than Myeongdong.
- Drink like locals: convenience-store beer and soju cost a third of bar prices.
- Skip the observation deck: walk up Namsan or Inwangsan for free city views.
- Use free sights: the National Museum, Cheonggyecheon, the Han River parks and changing of the guard at Deoksugung cost nothing.
Budget 85,000 won a day in a Hongdae hostel eating market food, 170,000 won for a central hotel, BBQ dinners and a paid attraction a day, and 300,000 won or more for 5-star rooms and taxis everywhere.
Where your money goes furthest in Seoul#
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More Seoul guides#
Seoul travel costs FAQs#
How much money do I need per day in Seoul?
About 75,000 to 100,000 won ($55 to $70) a day as a backpacker, 130,000 to 230,000 won ($95 to $165) for a central hotel and sit-down meals, and 300,000 won ($215) or more for 4 and 5-star comfort, per person sharing.
Is Seoul expensive for tourists?
Hotels and cafés are expensive, but food, transport and sights are cheap. A subway ride is about $1.10, a palace ticket about $2 and a filling Korean meal $7 to $10.
How much does a 5-day trip to Seoul cost?
Excluding flights, about 400,000 to 520,000 won ($290 to $370) per person on a budget and 700,000 to 1,150,000 won ($500 to $820) at mid-range, sharing a room.
Is the Discover Seoul Pass worth it?
Only if you plan to visit two or three expensive attractions a day, such as observatories and Lotte World. The palaces cost 1,000 to 3,000 won each, so most visitors save more by paying at the gate.
How much is the Seoul palace pass?
The integrated palace ticket costs 6,000 won and covers Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo once each within six months. The Changdeokgung Secret Garden costs 5,000 won extra.
Is it free to enter Gyeongbokgung in a hanbok?
Yes. Visitors wearing a hanbok get free entry to Gyeongbokgung and the other palaces and Jongmyo. Rental near the palace costs 15,000 to 30,000 won for a few hours.
How much is a hotel in Seoul?
A business hotel in Myeongdong or Jongno costs about 110,000 to 190,000 won a night, a hostel dorm 22,000 to 40,000 won, and 5-star hotels from about 350,000 won.
Do I need cash in Seoul?
Very little. Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis and market stalls, but keep 30,000 to 50,000 won for T-money top-ups and small food stalls.