South Korea blends ancient traditions with state-of-the-art modernity, offering visitors a unique experience from Seoul's neon-lit streets to tranquil Buddhist temples. Discover K-pop culture, UNESCO World Heritage sites, world-class cuisine, and stunning natural landscapes from volcanic islands to mountain ranges.
Local currency: Korean Won (KRW / ₩).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in South Korea.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $18-25/night dorm
- Budget
- $40-70/night private guesthouse
- Midrange
- $80-150/night 3-star hotel
- Luxury
- $300-1,500+/night 5-star hotel
Food
- Street
- $2-5 (tteokbokki, gimbap, hotteok)
- Local
- $8-15 (restaurant bibimbap, sundubu jjigae)
- Midrange
- $20-35 (Korean BBQ, hanjeongsik set)
- Fine
- $80-250+ (Michelin tasting menus)
Transport
- Bus
- $1.25/subway or bus ride with T-money card
- Taxi
- $5-15 average city taxi ride
- Airport
- $9 AREX express from Incheon / $60-80 taxi
- Daytrip
- $10-30 KTX intercity train one-way
Activities
- Museum
- $0-5 (most major museums free)
- Sites
- $3-8 (palace entry fees)
- Tour
- $40-80 (DMZ tour, city tour)
- Excursion
- $30-100 (day trip to Gyeongju, Jeju, etc.)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to South Korea costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$280-420/week
Midrange traveller
$700-1,260/week
Luxury traveller
$2,450-4,200+/week
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Get a T-money card at any convenience store for 2,500 KRW — it gives discounted transit fares on subway and buses and allows free transfers within 30 minutes
Eat at Korean restaurant sets (정식/jeongshik) for lunch — many restaurants offer full meal deals for 8,000-12,000 KRW that include rice, soup, and 5+ banchan side dishes
Visit palaces on the first Sunday of each month for free admission — Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Deoksugung all waive entry fees
Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) offers a Korea Tour Card with discount coupons for major attractions — available at Incheon Airport
Convenience store (편의점) meals are legitimate budget dining — triangle gimbap, hot dogs, and ramen cost 2,000-5,000 KRW and quality is excellent
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Gyeongbokgung Palace in Hanbok
Rent traditional Korean hanbok costume near the palace (from 10,000 KRW) and receive free admission to all five major Seoul palaces — a unique cultural experience and great photo opportunity.
Bukchon Hanok Village Walking
Wander the preserved traditional Korean village of Bukchon with over 900 hanok houses for free — early morning visits before 9AM reward you with peaceful, crowd-free alleyways and stunning photo opportunities.
Han River Park
Seoul's extensive Han River Parks along both banks are completely free to access. Rent a bike ($2/hour), swim in the outdoor pools (summer), watch outdoor movies, or picnic on the riverside lawns.
Namsan Seoul Tower Hike
Hike the forested trail up Namsan Mountain to N Seoul Tower for panoramic city views. The hike takes 40 minutes and is free — the tower observation deck charges entry but the outdoor summit plaza is free.
Insadong Street Exploration
The traditional arts district of Insadong is entirely free to explore with galleries, street performers, craft shops, and traditional food stalls. The Ssamziegil courtyard mall features free weekend cultural events.
Jogyesa Temple and Buddhist Culture
Seoul's main Buddhist temple in Jongno is open free to the public year-round. During Buddha's Birthday (Lotus Lantern Festival), the temple and surrounding streets become a magnificent free celebration.
Cheonggyecheon Stream Walk
The restored urban stream cutting through downtown Seoul offers a 5.8km walking path below street level through the city center. Beautiful stone sculptures and seasonal art installations along the route.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Grounds
Zaha Hadid's iconic futuristic architecture is free to photograph and explore from outside. The adjacent LED Rose Garden illumination at night (spring) is one of Seoul's most spectacular free sights.