A one-week trip to Seoul (6 nights, two people sharing a 3-star room, everyday Korean meals, subway, airport train) comes to about ₩802,100 per person — roughly US$592 — before flights and shopping. Pick your regions, nights, travel style and the things you want to do below; every price comes from an official source, dated, listed at the bottom.
Typical trip costs per person
Two travelers sharing a room, three meals a day, four subway or bus rides a day, AREX express to and from Incheon Airport, trains from Seoul to the other city and back at today’s lowest fare. No attractions, no shopping, no flights to Korea.
| Trip | Budget | Standard | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul, 4 nights | ₩264,300 | ₩557,800 | ₩805,100 |
| Seoul 6 nights (one week) | ₩370,200 | ₩802,100 | ₩1,160,100 |
| Seoul 4 + Busan 3 | ₩524,900 | ₩912,900 | ₩1,281,300 |
| Seoul 4 + Gyeongju 2 | ₩419,200 | ₩819,000 | ₩1,108,200 |
| Seoul 4 + Jeonju 2 | ₩403,900 | ₩801,700 | ₩1,113,400 |
| Seoul 4 + Jeju 3 (flight not included) | ₩411,000 | ₩777,700 | ₩1,191,600 |
Budget = an inn (yeogwan) room and simple meals (gimbap, kimchi-jjigae set, jajangmyeon). Standard = a 3-star hotel and gimbap (1 roll), bibimbap, samgyeopsal (pork belly) 200 g. Comfort = a 4-star hotel and naengmyeon (cold noodles), samgyetang, samgyeopsal (pork belly) 200 g ×1.5.
What the average visitor actually spends
In 2025 the average foreign visitor spent US$1,327.3 per trip (US$238.3 a day) not counting international flights, and stayed 6.5 days (Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, provisional annual figure). That includes shopping, which is the biggest single item.
| Where the money goes (2024) | Share |
|---|---|
| Shopping | 30% |
| Lodging | 26% |
| Restaurants | 16% |
| Packages paid to travel agencies | 11% |
| Medical & health checkups | 3% |
| Local road transport | 2% |
| Groceries & drinks | 2% |
| Rail | 2% |
Shares of spending excluding international flights, from the 2024 final survey. The survey does not report spending by region.
| Visitors from | Per trip (US$) | Per day (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| China | 1,622 | 281.5 |
| Japan | 806.8 | 226.8 |
| Taiwan | 1,266 | 241.8 |
| United States | 1,592.6 | 214.1 |
| Hong Kong | 1,435.3 | 258.7 |
| Singapore | 1,546.2 | 218.3 |
| Thailand | 1,133.1 | 224.3 |
| Vietnam | 1,311.4 | 210.0 |
| Philippines | 1,101.9 | 181.9 |
| United Kingdom | 1,694.7 | 212.7 |
| Germany | 1,634.8 | 154.9 |
| France | 1,876.8 | 174.3 |
| Australia | 1,583.8 | 190.2 |
| Canada | 1,632.4 | 197.8 |
Hotel prices by region
Average room rate per night per room (2024 Korea Hotel Association figures, which exclude tax — the calculator adds 10% VAT; service charges are not added). Inn = yeogwan, one night, official August 2026 survey. Real prices swing a lot by date and season.
| Region | Inn | 3-star | 4-star | 5-star |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | ₩52,600 | ₩143,200 | ₩197,000 | ₩335,200 |
| Busan | ₩68,600 | ₩99,700 | ₩127,300 | ₩293,800 |
| Jeju | ₩47,300 | ₩70,700 | ₩134,900 | ₩192,800 |
| Gyeonggi (Suwon, Everland, Gapyeong) | ₩47,100 | ₩122,700 | ₩151,300 | too few hotels |
| Incheon | ₩41,500 | ₩94,100 | ₩125,400 | ₩252,800 |
| Gangwon (Gangneung, Sokcho) | ₩46,700 | ₩136,900 | ₩175,800 | ₩192,800 |
| Gyeongbuk (Gyeongju, Andong) | ₩51,200 | ₩127,200 | ₩129,500 | too few hotels |
| Jeonbuk (Jeonju) | ₩45,500 | ₩119,700 | ₩145,000 | too few hotels |
Where a province has only one or two 5-star hotels (or none), the calculator uses the national 5-star average (₩267,800 before tax).
Meal prices by region
| Region | Gimbap | Kimchi-jjigae set | Bibimbap | Naengmyeon | Samgyeopsal 200 g | Samgyetang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | ₩3,900 | ₩8,800 | ₩11,900 | ₩12,700 | ₩21,300 | ₩18,300 |
| Busan | ₩3,500 | ₩8,400 | ₩9,700 | ₩12,000 | ₩18,200 | ₩17,400 |
| Jeju | ₩3,600 | ₩9,600 | ₩10,500 | ₩9,800 | ₩17,900 | ₩17,000 |
| Gyeonggi (Suwon, Everland, Gapyeong) | ₩3,800 | ₩8,800 | ₩9,900 | ₩10,900 | ₩18,200 | ₩17,700 |
| Incheon | ₩3,700 | ₩8,700 | ₩9,200 | ₩11,900 | ₩17,700 | ₩17,000 |
| Gangwon (Gangneung, Sokcho) | ₩3,400 | ₩9,000 | ₩10,400 | ₩10,600 | ₩16,000 | ₩16,600 |
| Gyeongbuk (Gyeongju, Andong) | ₩3,500 | ₩8,900 | ₩9,900 | ₩10,300 | ₩17,300 | ₩16,100 |
| Jeonbuk (Jeonju) | ₩3,400 | ₩9,600 | ₩12,100 | ₩10,500 | ₩16,300 | ₩17,600 |
Price of one serving, Ministry of the Interior and Safety survey, August 2026 (provisional). The ministry notes that regions surveyed different restaurants, so treat region-to-region gaps with care.
Getting around
| Item | Fare |
|---|---|
| Seoul subway (card) | ₩1,600 |
| Seoul city bus (card) | ₩1,500 |
| Busan subway (card) | ₩1,600 |
| Jeju bus (card) | ₩1,200 |
| Seoul taxi, base fare | ₩4,800 |
| AREX express, Incheon Airport ↔ Seoul Station | ₩13,000 |
| Seoul → Busan by train | from ₩41,400 |
| Seoul → Gyeongbuk by train | from ₩36,300 |
| Seoul → Gangwon by train | from ₩26,000 |
| Seoul → Jeonbuk by train | from ₩30,100 |
Train fares are today’s lowest fare on our timetable pages (slower trains are cheaper than KTX). Gyeonggi and Incheon trips are counted at the Seoul subway base fare because they share one capital-area fare system. Climate Card for tourists (unlimited Seoul subway and buses): 1 day ₩5,000 · 2 days ₩8,000 · 3 days ₩10,000 · 5 days ₩15,000.
Entry fees
| Place | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Palace (free in hanbok, under 19 or 65+; fee rise planned for 2027) | ₩3,000 |
| Changdeokgung + Secret Garden (palace ₩3,000 + garden ₩5,000) | ₩8,000 |
| Palace pass (4 palaces + Jongmyo, no Secret Garden) | ₩6,000 |
| N Seoul Tower observatory | ₩29,000 |
| Lotte World 1-day pass (price reported from April 2026) | ₩67,000 |
| Nanta show (Myeongdong) (A to VIP seat) | ₩50,000 – ₩70,000 |
| Hanbok rental near Gyeongbokgung (examples from rental shops, not an official average) | ₩10,500 – ₩35,000 |
| Public bathhouse (Seoul) (bathhouse entry; jjimjilbang costs more) | ₩11,000 |
| Gamcheon Culture Village (free entry, stamp map ₩2,000) | ₩0 – ₩2,000 |
| Public bathhouse (Busan) | ₩8,800 |
| Seongsan Ilchulbong | ₩5,000 |
| Hallasan hike (free; Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails need a free reservation) | free |
| Public bathhouse (Jeju) | ₩8,500 |
| Public bathhouse (Gyeonggi) | ₩10,600 |
| Bulguksa Temple & Seokguram (free since May 2023) | free |
| Gyeonggijeon Shrine (Jeonju Hanok Village) (village itself is free) | ₩3,000 |
Not listed because the official price could not be confirmed on 1 October 2026: Seoul Sky, Everland, the DMZ tour, jjimjilbang day passes.
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FAQ
How much does a week in Korea cost?
About ₩802,100 per person for six nights in Seoul at a standard level (3-star hotel, everyday meals, subway, airport train), before flights and shopping. The average visitor spent US$1,327.3 per trip including shopping in 2025.
Is Seoul more expensive than Busan or Jeju?
For hotels, yes: the 2024 average room rate was ₩200,700 in Seoul, ₩157,900 in Busan and ₩140,000 in Jeju (before tax). Meal prices are closer — for example bibimbap ₩11,900 in Seoul and ₩9,700 in Busan.
Do foreigners pay to enter Korean palaces?
Yes, Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung cost ₩3,000 for ages 19 to 64. Entry is free if you wear hanbok (except the Changdeokgung Secret Garden), and free for foreigners under 19 or 65 and over. A fee increase is planned from 2027.
What is not included in the calculator?
Flights to Korea and to Jeju, shopping, cafés and drinks, SIM cards, taxis, and travel between two cities outside the Seoul area. Hotel prices are averages — book early for festivals and holidays.
Sources
- Korea Culture & Tourism Institute — International Visitor Survey, Q4 2025 (provisional)
- Korea Culture & Tourism Institute — International Visitor Survey 2024 (final)
- Korea Hotel Association — 2024 hotel operating results (average daily rate)
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety — eating-out prices and personal service prices, August 2026 (provisional)
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety — public utility fares (subway, bus), August 2026
- Royal Palaces (Korea Heritage Service) — admission fees
- N Seoul Tower — admission
- Nanta — ticket prices
- Airport Railroad (AREX) — express train fare
- Jeju bus fares
- Jeju World Natural Heritage — Seongsan Ilchulbong
- Hallasan National Park — trail reservations
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — Climate Card for tourists
Prices checked 2026-10-01. Exchange rates: European Central Bank reference rates for 2026-09-30 (frankfurter.dev). Page rebuilt 2026-10-01.
