Traveling in South Korea need not be expensive. While many tourists say that the ideal budget per day is $100, you can still enjoy shopping, sightseeing, and going on a food trip with less money. If you are about to or are currently booking your trip, you can find discounted activities and restaurants here — use our coupon code TRAVLISTS to get up to 8% off your booking.
In a nutshell
- How much do meals in restaurants cost? Dining in at a casual Korean restaurant typically costs $7 or ₩10,000. With this money, you can get a bowl of hot stew with rice, a Korean toast and drink, or tteokbokki and gimbap. If you plan to eat in Myeongdong, you can get two tasty Korean-style breakfast sandwiches and a cup of coffee in this popular food stall for just $6.29.
- Where can I buy souvenirs, ramen pots, tote bags, keychains, and more? Our team at Travlists recommends visiting this dollar-store-style outlet in South Korea called Daiso. Here not only do tourists shop but also locals who are looking for cheap home decor, stationery, canned goods, accessories, and more. For snacks and chocolates, you can either visit Korea Mart in Hongdae or convenience stores like this one that offer Buy 1, Get 1 (or Buy 2, Get 2!) bundles that tourists can take advantage of!
- How do I save money on transportation? You can either get the unlimited transportation card in Korea called the Climate Card (sold at subway stations or convenience stores like CU and GS25) or purchase a prepaid T-Money card, which will give you a discount on each subway or bus ride worth $0.07 or ₩100. (If you are planning to buy a Korea SIM card, you can consider booking this option that comes with a free T-Money card.)
- Where can I find affordable professional photoshoots in Seoul? Have your travel photos taken by a friendly and multilingual photographer. Discover fun concept shoots in Gyeongbokgung, Hongdae, Itaewon, and more on Photo Trips.
- Accommodation deals. If you have not booked your hotel or Airbnb yet, consider booking on Klook here — you can get 3-8% off with our discount code TRAVLISTS. Alternatively, Agoda offers the lowest nightly rates in Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon, Gangnam, Busan, and Jeju. View the cheapest hotels and hostels here.
Quick Book
South Korea Travel Costs: How Much Money Will You Need?
Wondering how much it will cost to travel to Korea? While the amount will vary depending on your preferences and how long you’ll stay, you can refer to these base price points for reference:
| ITEM | ESTIMATE COST |
|---|---|
| 1. Travel eSIM | $1.45-$32 for 1-30 days |
| 2. Pocket WiFI | $1.99 per day |
| 3. T-Money Transportation Card (with ₩5,000 credits + SIM Card) | $17 |
| 4. AREX Incheon Airport to Seoul Train Ticket | $8.85 (one-way) |
| 5. Meals | $6-10 per meal |
| 6. Accommodation | $30-300 per night |
| 7. DMZ Tour from Seoul | $33-60 |
| 8. Nami Island Tour from Seoul | $26-70 |
| 9. Korail Pass | $82 |
| 10. Everland Theme Park Ticket | $46 |
| 11. Hanbok Rental | $13.59 |
| 12. Discover Seoul Pass | $34 |
| 13. Seoul Subway Base Fare | $1 (per ride) |
Travel Light in South Korea: Budget Tips for Tourists
To help you get the most out of your trip while saving some money, check out our team’s tips below!
1. Get a high-speed South Korea eSIM from Klook or BNESIM (Up to 30% off)
When it comes to travel eSIMs in Korea, you can score the best deal by booking BNESIM or Klook. BNESIM, a global eSIM provider recognized 4 times at the World Travel Awards, offers eSIM data plans for South Korea starting at just $3. Their data packs are a lot cheaper compared to others, which start at $32. With BNESIM’s eSIM, you can connect to KT and SKT’s fast 5G network and earn through their referral program. What’s more, you can get up to 30% discount on your purchase when you use our promo code TRAVLISTS.
If you prefer to have unlimited data as you explore Seoul, Busan, Jeju, and other destinations, you can also get Klook’s eSIM for less than $7. This is the cheapest option available, and you can even get an extra discount of up to 8% if you use our Klook coupon code TRAVLISTS.
2. Download these free shopping coupons for tourists
Planning to shop for clothes, K-beauty products, and gadgets in Korea? You can save money by getting the following shopping coupons for duty-free outlets, shopping malls, and special tourist districts like Myeongdong and Dongdaemun.
Among these shopping coupons, the most booked ones (at no cost) are Hyundai Duty Free Coupons for Seoul and Incheon and the Myeongdong Pass, which is perfect for those who want to shop for cosmetics. You’ll get free face masks, 15% off in select stores, a ₩10,000 voucher (worth $7), and exclusive access to offers from some luxury brands.
3. Book photoshoots in Seoul on Photo Trips
Photoshoots in Seoul tend to be more on the expensive side as there are a few professional photographers who offer services in English. For example, wedding photoshoots on Klook can range from $800-1,200. However, you can find similar packages for couples for as low as $350 on Photo Trips here. The platform also has a variety of concept shoots that are priced competitively — perfect for budget-conscious tourists:
- Elegant Hanbok Photoshoot at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul
- Casual Street Photoshoot in Seoul’s Most Photogenic Locations
- Street Photoshoot Experience in Seoul’s Most Photogenic Urban Locations
- View more options ➜
Booking on Photo Trips also offers flexibility. Should you need to cancel your booking, they offer a full refund if you cancel at least a week before your selected date.
4. Book cheap accommodations in Korea with an extra 3-8% off
If you’re looking to spend $30-100 per night for a hotel, guesthouse, or an Airbnb, then check out these most popular options that are comfortable, accessible, and affordable:
- Step Inn Myeongdong 1 (around $35 per night)
- DW Stay in Hongdae (around $45 per night)
- Hi Guesthouse in Insadong (around $50 per night)
- Gongsimga Hanok Guesthouse in Jung-gu (around $70 per night)
- Nine Tree Premier Hotel Myeongdong 2 (around $70 per night)
The beauty of booking these properties on Klook is that you get an extra 3-8% discount if you use our promo code TRAVLISTS or HOTELONAPP.
Other tips when booking your hotel or accommodation:
- Try searching for accommodations that are not in touristy places such as Gangnam and Itaewon. Hostels and university dorms outside these areas usually offer the cheapest rates, which can go as low as $10-20 on platforms like Airbnb. Just note that if you’re looking to explore the bustling areas of Seoul, you’ll most likely spend more time commuting to and fro.
- f you prefer to be in the center of all action, such as famous shopping districts and night markets, you will find cheap capsule hotels and hostels in Myeongdong or Hongdae that can offer $15-30 per night, give or take.
- You can also spend a night at a jjimjilbang, which is a Korean sauna with sleeping quarters. These saunas typically charge around $6-12 for one night.
4. Take the AREX or KAL instead of an airport transfer
If you’ll enter South Korea via Incheon Airport, do take the Airport Railroad Express Train or the KAL Limousine Bus to get to downtown Seoul. Compared to booking a private airport transfer or renting a car, you’ll definitely save a lot of money!
- AREX Express Train
- Est. travel time: 43 minutes (Terminal 1) & 51 minutes (Terminal 2)
- Est. price: $7.2
- Airport Limousine Bus
- Est. travel time: 1-2 hours (depending on traffic conditions)
- Est. price: $14.3
5. Travel with T-Money
Buy a T-Money card to pay for your subway, taxi, and bus fares. Why this Korea budget tip? This transportation card will give you a discount of at least ₩100 (or $0.1) on the fares. The savings per ride wouldn’t really seem to help if you think about it. However, at the end of my 14-day trip, I was able to save nearly as much as the cost of an Iced Americano offered by Starbucks. You can book this money-saving 2-in SIM Card + T-Money card online here.
(Do note that T-Money cannot be used to pay for your inter-city train transfers, i.e. Seoul to Busan or Daegu to Daejeon. T-Money can only be used to pay for the subway lines within each city.)
6. Get a Korail Pass
To get to Busan, Daegu, or Daejeon from Seoul, you can save more money when you purchase the Korail Pass. With this transportation card, you’ll get unlimited train rides that can take you to over 600 train stations in the country. You can check how much it costs and purchase one below.
7. Enjoy value-for-money meals in Korea
Similar to transportation, your meal expenses depend upon whether you want to try out as many authentic Korean food as possible and how big (or small) of an eater you are.
If you’re like me who’s willing to spend more on food but who’s still on the conservative side in terms of daily budget, here’s how I worked it out: I allotted at least ₩10,000 per meal and ₩5,500 for coffee. Per day, that would be around ₩35,000 or less than $30.
Some of the ways you can further lower the cost:
- Get personal recommendations from your host or find low-key, unassuming restaurants near your hostel/apartment. These restaurants are commonly homey-looking and found in alleys. They have their menus up on their windows so you can see their price range. Full lunch or dinner set meals can go as low as ₩6,500 or $5.5.
- Look for accommodations in Korea that offer free breakfast. You can save money if you don’t mind having instant ramen, toast, and 3-in-1 coffee for breakfast.
- Fill up with Korean street food. If you want a quick fill, get some Korean street food in Myeongdong. Each item usually sells for ₩2,000-3,000 (or $1-3). There are also kimbap shops that sell rice treats (carbs!) for around $2 only.
- CVS munchies, anyone? Convenience stores in Korea like 7-Eleven and CU offer triangular rice gimbaps (samgak gimbap) and other food items (sausage-on-stick, fish cakes, cup ramen, instant jjajangmyeon, and cooked rice) for only ₩1,500-2,500 or less than $1-2.
- Other Korea budget tips on food that might be helpful: If you’ll spend time in a cafe, allot around ₩10,000 for a cup of coffee and pastry. Ordering fast food in Korea may cost you around ₩6,000-9,000 (₱280 or $5.3).
If you want to splurge a little bit, click below to find some good restaurants to visit in Seoul:
Estimating the Cost of Your Korea Trip
If you are required to apply for a South Korea tourist visa, you will be asked to provide an estimated cost of your trip. Below we list down some of the must-have travel items and activities whose prices you may want to take note of:
Got any tips?
Share them in the comments section below!
