Is Seoul expensive? To be frank enough, this was the question that kept me awake at night as I was planning my first visit to the glimmering city of South Korea. Months of research and budgeting anxiety finally led me to the plunge and I booked my adventure with World Holiday Vibes. So, after 5 fantastic days of sightseeing the streets of Seoul, devouring the never-ending Korean barbecue, and admiring the old palaces, I am now free to deliver to you the barefaced reality of what it really takes to have the experience of this fabulous city.
My Journey Begins: Booking Through World Holiday Vibes
I would like to tell you about how I got to this trip before attempting to go through the costs. I am a person who watches every penny and thus I did not just want cheap flights but I wanted the whole package that would look like I am gaining something and not compromising the experiences I had been dreaming about. At that point, I found the offerings at World Holiday Vibes in South Korea.
Having looked through their choices I selected the package of the A melody of urban adventure: Seoul trip that will last 5 nights and will cost me at least £779 per person. This was not merely the cost, but flights, hotel and airport transfer, it was all taken care of and I could enjoy full Seoul without worrying about the logistics. It would have cost me so easily all separately about £950-1100 so I saved about 170-320 at the very beginning.
First Impressions: The Price Reality Check
Is Seoul expensive? My anxiety was at its highest level when my flight landed at Incheon Airport. The smooth terminal, high performing staff and advanced infrastructure screamed the high-end city. However, several hours after entering the city, I discovered that Seoul is a city that runs on a gorgeous dual economy. You can spend your money on luxury brands and high-end experiences to the burner, or you can also enjoy a considerably high quality of life on what you would have spent to have a mediocre weekend in most European capitals.
The eye opener was that of my first evening when I bumped my head in one of the local restaurants in my hotel. I indicated the images in the menu (I did not speak a word of Korean), and all this cost me only £4.80 a bowl of hot bibimbap, four banchan (side dishes), and as much kimchi as I could take. This was not tourist food, this was the good stuff, and more economical than a meal bargain at Tesco back home.
The Nitty-Gritty of My Everyday Expenses
Is Seoul expensive to visit when you’re actually on the ground? I would like to take you through my daily spending activities in those 5 days. I was also using very strict notes, since I am a little bit obsessive in terms of travel budgets and here is what I found:
The total spending per day was 38, including food, means of transport, attractions, and even luxury (accommodation had already been paid by World Holiday Vibes). There were occasions on which I spent as little as £25 when I was just having street food and free sites. On other days, especially when I would spoil myself with Korean barbecue or shop in Gangnam, I would go up to £55.
For those wondering is South Korea cheap compared to other developed nations, here’s my take: it’s fantastically affordable compared to Tokyo, London, or New York, roughly similar to Prague or Lisbon, and more expensive than Southeast Asian destinations like Bangkok or Hanoi. That is the happy medium because Seoul is a developed world with infrastructures and cleanliness at emerging world prices in many aspects.
Accommodation: Where My Package Made All the Difference
The hotel was booked under the package of World Holiday Vibes titled A melody of urban adventure: Seoul was ibis Styles Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong, a 4-star hotel that was better than expected. This is a modern hotel with a special combination of comfort and modernity in the very centre of Seoul where colourful creatively designed rooms have all that I require to spend my time comfortably.
Is Korea cheap for accommodation? It all depends on what you are seeking. I would have paid 50-65 pounds per night in this 4-star hotel with prime location in Myeongdong had I booked the ibis Styles Ambassador in the dates independently. My accommodation would be about £35-40 a night with the flights included and airport transfers included to make the package of £779 and the incredible saving to the flights was about £50-125 on a total of 5 nights.
The setting could not have been improved. Myeongdong is the busy shopping and entertainment neighbourhood of Seoul, which is home to cosmetics shops, street food, and the closeness to the key attractions. It took me a few minutes to walk to Myeongdong Cathedral and a few seconds to get to any part of Seoul by subway and there were hundreds of Korean barbecue restaurants and fashionable cafes around me. The modern design of the hotel and its comfortable rooms made it the ideal place to visit the city after exhaustive days of touring the city.
Budget guesthouses and hostels in places such as Hongdae or Insadong begin at circa 14-20 on a dorm/ basic private room basis. Independent mid-range hotels cost between £40-68 per night. As a 4-star hotel in Myeongdong, the ibis Styles Ambassador would be classified as either higher mid-range or upper-mid. Luxury rooms in Gangnam or around lotte world tower can very easily cost more than £115-170 per night.
Another thing that I learnt was about jimjilbangs (Korean bathhouses) where one can sleep overnight legally at £8-11. Although I did not have to book one with my comfortable 4-star accommodation included, I still went to one to experience it because of my 5-day stay there, which made it very authentic, surprisingly comfortable, and also a great saving of money in case I decided to extend my stay beyond the packages that I had already booked.
Package Highlight: The ibis Styles Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong’s central location means you’re perfectly positioned to explore Seoul’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, from shopping in Myeongdong to visiting nearby Namsan Tower and the historic palaces making it ideal for those planning South Korea holidays from UK who want to maximise their time in the city.
Food: Where Seoul Becomes a Cheap Traveller Paradise
It is here that Seoul totally comes out shining in those 5 days, and it is here that my daily spending was comparatively very low. Is Seoul expensive for food? Not even on your side – you see you would like it to be.
The type of food I generally ate during a day was as follows:
Breakfast: I would get kimbap (Korean rice rolls) and coffee at a convenience store such as CU or GS25 that would cost me approximately £2.70. I made these stores my best friends during the 5 days, they are everywhere, they are 24/7, and the food is astonishingly good.
Lunch: There are local restaurants that serve traditional foods such as kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), bibimbap or jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) between £4-6. These were not tourist sites, they were sites full of office workers where I was the only foreigner many times.
Afternoon Snack: Cafe culture of Seoul is hard to resist. I would spend between £3-4 on a coffee and pastry in one of the numerous Instagram-friendly cafes. Yes, it costs more than the convenience store coffee by costing 1,000 pounds, but the experience and atmosphere were well worth the money.
Dinner: This changed widely during my 5 days adventure. Dinners in Gwangjang Market or Myeongdong were street food that cost between £6-9 and were truly delicious. I would spend between 11-17 per person when I wanted to go on a spurt on Korean barbecue (it is good, and I have tried it).
Much attention should be paid to street food. A single serving of teokbokki (spicy rice cakes), hotteok (sweet pancakes), odeng (skewers of fish cake), and mandu (dumplings) is between £1.70 and 3. During my tours I would buy an entire meal of street food and spend less than £7 in total and eat like a king.
I used an average of £19-23 per day spending around £95-115 on the foods I took over my total trip which lasted 5 days. It is less than most individuals would spend on groceries in one day in the UK!
Transportation: Stunningly Cheap in a Big City
The mass transit of Seoul is a masterpiece of its efficiency and low cost. The subway network that connects practically all the attractions I was interested in during my 5 days only costs me £0.75 -1.30 depending on distance. I got a T-money card (a loadable transit card) costing me £ 1.50 and topped it up to £ 11, and this got me through my 5 day journey.
Is Korea expensive for getting around? Absolutely not. Buses are also cheap and in some cases more convenient in short routes. I hardly took taxis, and even those, on late nights after too much soju, cost me an average of £6-9 per ride across the city, which is fair according to any criterion.
My favourite part of Seoul during these 5 days was the subway. It is impeccably clean, comes 3-5 minutes apart, and is announced in English as well as all stations have free Wi-Fi. After spending a large part of my fortune on transport in London, the Seoul subway was like highway robbery in my favour.
The package of my World Holiday Vibes was airport transfers that helped to save me approximately £17 round trip. These small additions were significant to my total budget in the 5-days.
Tourist Attractions: Where Seoul Offers Incredible Value
Most of the best things in Seoul are free. The village I visited, Bukchon Hanok Village, was completely free since I spent all the afternoon of my 5 day stay wandering throughout traditional Korean houses. Bukhansan Mountain hiking is the best experience that one can have that does not cost anything except a subway fare. Cheonggyecheon Stream where I observed the sunset was free and magical.
Is Seoul expensive for sightseeing? It is unbelievably cheap to get in at palaces 1.70 a head. On my 5 days visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, I incurred less than £4 in total. The average price is 3-5, and most of the museums are free on particular days or in the evening.
I purchased a Palace Pass at 5.70 pounds that included access to five royal palaces which was perhaps the best 5.70 pounds I used in all 5 day trip. Although I was only able to visit two palaces in 5 days, the pass ensured that I could visit any time I wished without having to queue in order to buy tickets.
The total admission charges and attractions spending I had reached about 25-30 on all the attractions and entry fees in my 5 days, which seemed so reasonable to all that I had done.
Shopping: Bargain to Boom or Bust
Is Korea cheap for shopping? This is where prices are out of the scale depending on what you are purchasing when you are visiting. International brands are also available in luxury areas such as Gangnam and Myeongdong at a price comparable to other cities in the world, even higher in cases where import taxes apply.
But what the city of Seoul has to offer, in terms of shopping, are markets and Korean goods. During the 5 days, I spent hours shopping in Dongdaemun Market, Namdaemun Market and Gwangjang Market. In Dongdaemun, I bargained, and purchased merchandise at 60-70 percent discount to which I would have paid at home. Namdaemun provided conventional souvenirs and ginseng products at affordable prices with bargaining ground.
Those 5 days turned out to be the time when Korean beauty products became my obsession. In Olive Young (Boots/ Sephora Korea), I completely lost my head. The sheet masks were priced at £0.60, serums that would have been priced at 35 in the UK were priced at eight, and I was able to test everything out and then purchase. I have already spent 45 pounds on K-beauty shopping during my 5-day visit and managed to fill a reasonable bag.
Pro tip: Seoul is not a cheap place to live, and the locals cannot afford foreign brands, yet the domestic products of Korea are of superior quality and cost a fraction of the price that seems almost ridiculous in Western markets.
Night out and Nightlife: Cheap Soju to expensive Clubs
The night life in Seoul is affordable to all. At its low end, convenience store soju prices are at 0.85 a bottle. My new friends and I would purchase beverages at 7-Eleven and hang out in the various outdoor seats around the city in the course of my 5 days. This is entirely natural within Korean culture and is not associated with a stigma.
Is Seoul expensive to visit for nightlife? Beer and cocktails cost 3-5 and 6-9 in local bars in neighbourhoods such as Hongdae. The cost of a room in karaoke rooms (noraebang) is approximately half an hour, which is around £11-17 per person.
During my 5-day stay, I discovered a happy medium in that I would spend between £17-23 on evening outings, which is enough to eat, go on a date, and have a karaoke with friends that I have made in my hotel. I allocated approximately 50-70 pounds of my money to nightlife in my 5 nights stay.
Seasonal: When to Go and Save the Most
Prices of the 5-night packages of World Holiday Vibes will differ depending on the time of your travel. Is Korea expensive during peak season? The answer is definitely yes. There is a high spike in price during cherry blossom (late March to mid-April) and autumn colours (October to mid-November).
Winter months (December-February) offer the best value for South Korea holidays from UK travellers planning a 5-day trip. The Seoul packages are available at the cheapest rates and you will still get Seoul to do all that it has to offer just with cold weather. Also Seoul is beautiful in winter, and there are Christmas markets, snow-covered palaces, and unlimited hot pot restaurants.
Summer ( June-August) is humid and hot but affordable to visit in a 5-day trip as well. The rainy season implies that there could be heavy rains occasionally, yet this did not ruin my plans when going out to explore the city.
My 5-day Money-Saving Secrets in Seoul
Is Seoul expensive? Not because you are aware of those insider secrets that I learned in my 5-day visit:
Korean Convenience Stores Are Your Friend: Cheap food is not the only reason why Korean convenience stores are your friend. They also have free wifi, clean bathrooms, good exchange rates in their ATMS, and even benches. I would plan my daily routes around them most of my time during my 5 days.
Free Walking Tours: I attended one of the tip-based walking tours offered in my 5-day visit as they offered an amazing historical background and guided me to various neighbourhoods. I spent less than 10 pounds, thus sparing me the money that I would have used on a guidebook, but also provided communication with locals.
Lunch Specials: In most restaurants, there are set lunches (dosirak) at between £3.50-5- a meal of the same price costs at dinner between £7-9. I attempted to make lunch my primary meal and made dinners lighter within the 5 days, which helped to save approximately £10-15.
Book Packages: To be frank enough, I have saved lots of money by booking my trip with World Holiday Vibes, which cost me 779 pounds per person and was a 5-day trip. The negotiated prices and transfers implied that I was aware of my minimum spending back home and I could plan my money in advance on a day to day basis.
Hidden Costs nobody wants to warn you about
In Seoul, a 5-day average of spending is not a big problem, however, beware of the following extras that were unfamiliar to me:
Cafe Addiction: The cafe culture in Seoul is alcoholic. The beautifully furnished coffee shops with their theme decoration and picturesque beverages cost between £3.50 and 5 per beverage. My average spending in cafes was about £17 over the 5 days, but the experience is worth it!
Fees on Entrance Build Up: Individual fees to single palaces or museums may appear insignificant but when one visits several sights the fees accumulate. I used approximately 13 pounds to pay the entrance fees during the 5-day visit.
SIM Card or Wifi: I hired a pocket wifi at a cost of £4 a day amounting to 20 a day in a period of 5 days. Reflectively, a local SIM card would have been cheaper, although unlimited data implied that I never had to worry about losing track when I am in the country.
Seoul vs. Other Cities I have Visited
After visiting Seoul on numerous occasions in Asia and Europe, I am able to consider it mid-range cost per 5 days. The living expenses in Seoul is also quite lower compared to Tokyo, Singapore, or Hong Kong, cities that have the same infrastructure and cleanliness.
In comparison with the European cities, a holiday in Seoul in 5 days was close to Prague or Porto, and much more affordable than London, Paris, or Amsterdam. The experiences you acquire in Seoul in terms of the price are far better than the majority of European destinations.
Is South Korea cheap compared to Southeast Asia for a 5-day holiday? No, it is surely more costly than Thailand, Vietnam, or Indonesia. The trade-off however comes at the cost of developed infrastructure, good future transport and a degree of cleanliness and safety that is difficult to rival.
How Much Money to carry to Seoul: My Real Numbers 5 days
Is Seoul expensive? The following is my real budget for the 5 days trip:
Pre-Paid via World Holiday Vibes:
- London round trip flights: Included
- 5 nights accommodation: Included
- Airport transfers (way): Included
- Total cost of the package: £779 per head
Daily Expenditure more than 5 days (average: £38 a day):
- Food: £19-23 per day = £95-115 total
- Transportation: Than 2-4 a day = 10-20 in total
- Attractions: £5-6 per day = £25-30 total
- Shopping/extras: £8-12 a day = 40-60 in total
- Nightlife: £10-14 per day = £50-70 total
Total Cash Brought 5 Days: £250 Total Cash Used 5 Days: £220-295 Turned Home With: £0-30 (I spent most of it!)
This pocket-friendly 5 day trip enabled me to eat out, explore key attraction sites, go out on a few occasions and do shopping without any rush. I did not think that I was giving up any experiences or indulging in instant noodles in order to save money.
Grand total in 5 days in Seoul: £999-1074 (1279 package + 220-295 expenses per day)
It would be about in the region of 200-215 per day on flights, accommodation, transfers, food, transport, attractions, shopping and entertainment in one of the most exciting capitals in the Asian continent!
To plan your 5-day trip in detail with budget information, I suggest, first of all, looking at the comprehensive budget guide on how much money it will cost you to travel to Seoul which categorises all efforts by type and the nature of travelling.
The Conclusion: Verdict: Is Seoul Worth your Money?
Is Seoul expensive to visit? This experience is what I would say after 5 memorable days of my life; that Seoul is an incredible bargain of what you get. Yes, it is possible to spend a lot of money, but the city does not sting in investing in low-budget travellers which can provide them with genuine experiences, unbelievable food, rich heritage and friendly patrons.
The uniqueness of Seoul is that one does not need to travel cheaply and at the same time compromise the quality of his or her trip to the city. The same bibimbap, which I had in a local restaurant at a cost of 4.80 sterling pounds was even tastier (arguably better) than the 14 pound one at a fancy restaurant in Gangnam. The hiking free up the Bukhansan offered more unforgettable experiences compared to other paid attractions.
The cost of living in Seoul should not discourage tourists. Whether you’re planning South Korea holidays from UK for 5 days or looking at longer itineraries, Seoul accommodates every budget while maintaining a standard that rivals any global city.
Exploring Other World Holiday Vibes South Korea Options
Although I selected the 5-night package in the price of £779 per person, A melody of urban adventure: Seoul, there are numerous other brilliant packages with World Holiday Vibes, which you can select according to your time and budget:
Seoul and Busan (5 nights) – starting at £789 per person: Ideal in the case that you would like to enjoy both the urban spirit of Seoul and the sea view of Busan during the same visit. Only an extra 10 pounds on top of the Seoul-only package and you have a bite of quite a different Korean City.
Discovering Jeju (5 nights) – starting at £889 per person: It is the package, which will allow you to see the breathtaking natural beauty, waterfalls, and beaches of the volcanic island of Korea. It is better priced at 110 over the Seoul pack because it has the special Jeju experience.
The Seoul to Sakura: A trip through Korea and Japan (16 nights) – £1,569 per person: When you have more time and you wish to visit two of the powerhouses in Asia, then this is an extended trip that takes you to the two countries. At a mere 98 per night all inclusive it is a tremendous value of a journey across countries.
Japan & South Korea (14 nights) – price per person: £2,969: This is the ultimate trip in the East Asian region comprising Tokyo, Seoul and other attractions in both countries. This is a complete trip at a cost of 212 pounds per night consisting of 14 nights inclusive of flights, accommodation and transport in the UK to the region and is ideal to a first time visitor of the region.
Dubai, Beijing & Seoul (9 nights) – starting at only 1499 per person: This is the trip of the teashopper, with three totally different cultures being covered. It costs a staggering 167 pounds per night; that is a tremendous way of enjoying the most out of your vacation.
All the packages comprise of flights between different airports in the UK, accommodation, and airport transports the fundamental elements that can easily cause the greatest anxiety when booking separately.
Making your own Seoul Adventure
Is Seoul expensive? Visit it and make a decision by spending 5 days. I believe it is worth every penny as I did. My created memories, watching the sunrise at Gyeongbokgung Palace, karaoke at night, hiking through foggy mountains, finding hole-in-the-wall restaurants, etc., are invaluable.
When you find yourself on the fence about going to Seoul due to the price factor, then allow me to make it very clear that this is one of the most affordable cities in the world that can be enjoyed by travelling parties at realistic prices. World Holiday Vibes and its smart planning and package deals would allow you to enjoy Seoul without going back home to regret that you charged it on the credit card.
Official Korea Tourism Organization also offers verified travel tips, cultural insights, and event updates that can help you make the most out of your South Korea experience.
Trip Length Budget Recommendations:
Seoul 5-day track: £779 (trip) +220-295 (per day costs) = £999-1,074.
Seoul and Busan 5 day: package costs: 789, costs per day: 220-295 make it 1009-1084 in total
5-Day Jeju Island: £889 (package) + 190-250 (per day costs) = 1,079-1,139 total
It is not whether Seoul, is cheap or not, it is, are you willing to visit a city that will change your preconceptions, feed your palate, fascinate your mind, and show you that you do not need to win the lotto to have a world-class travel experience.
Begin planning your tour of South Korea. Imagine all the unbelievable packages of World Holiday Vibes, bookmark that budget guide with everything, and get ready to experience the adventure of the lifetime.
My 5 days in Seoul changed me. It refuses to be expensive but rather a transformation as whether you take the 5-night Seoul adventure at £779, the 7-night Seoul and Busan wonder at the cost of 789, or the 16-night Korea and Japan wonder at the cost of 1569, Seoul is not expensive, but rather a transformation. And count on it, you will be plotting your coming back before you have libelled out.
See you in Seoul!
No. I spent £38 daily and my entire 5-day trip cost £1,000, including flights and hotel. That’s cheaper than a weekend in London.
It’s reasonable. My £779 World Holiday Vibes package included flights and a 4-star hotel for 5 nights. You won’t find that deal for Paris or Amsterdam.
Spring (March-May) is best for cherry blossoms, and autumn (September-November) is best for fall foliage. However, winter offers cheaper prices and festive vibes, while summer is hot but has festivals and beach trips to nearby coastal cities.
English is spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and major attractions. Younger people generally speak some English. However, learning basic Korean phrases helps. The subway has English signage, and most signs are bilingual.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, Myeongdong shopping district, Hongdae for nightlife, Insadong for traditional crafts, DMZ tours, Gangnam district, and markets like Gwangjang and Dongdaemun.
5-7 days is ideal to see major attractions without rushing. Three days cover the highlights, while 7-10 days allow you to explore neighbourhoods in depth and take day trips to Suwon or the DMZ.
Yes. Seoul is highly card-friendly even small shops accept cards. However, some street vendors and traditional markets prefer cash. Bring some Korean won for these situations.
