One dollar buys ₩1,388 as of September 18, 2026, up 3.4% in seven days — $100 now gets about ₩138,800, roughly ₩4,600 more than a week earlier.
For a trip, that means your dollar budget stretches further than it did last week, but where you exchange can still cost you up to ₩41,600 extra on $500.
This post gives today’s rates, what the dollar buys in Seoul, where the exchange is cheapest, and when the official number is actually posted.
Contents
- How much is $100 in Korean won today?
- Is now a good time to exchange USD for won?
- Should I exchange dollars in the US or in Korea?
- When is the USD to KRW rate actually updated?
- Card, cash, and getting around Seoul in dollars
How much is $100 in Korean won today?
At the ECB reference rate of ₩1,388 on September 18, 2026, $100 buys about ₩138,800 — about ₩4,600 more than a week earlier.
The rate moved from roughly ₩1,342-equivalent to ₩1,388 over seven days, a +3.4% change.
Korea Eximbank posted a mid rate of ₩1,380 the same day, with wire buy at ₩1,394 and wire sell at ₩1,366.
Keep the two sources separate in your notes: the ECB reference and the bank’s own buy/sell rates are different numbers for different uses.
A week’s wait worked in your favor this time: $500 exchanged on September 18 rather than a week earlier gets about ₩23,000 more won, and $1,000 gets about ₩46,000 more.
If you need won this week, the gap between last week and today is already booked in your favor — the only decision left is where and when to exchange.
| City private exchange shop (Myeongdong, Hongdae) | Thinner than the ~1.75% bank cash spread — usually the cheapest for cash |
|---|---|
| Bank counter, cash | ~1.75% per side — about ₩12,100 extra on $500 at ₩1,388 |
| Wire transfer rates | ~1% — about ₩6,900 extra on $500 at ₩1,388 |
| Airport counter | Up to 6% worse than mid-market — up to about ₩41,600 extra on $500 |
Is now a good time to exchange USD for won?
Compared with last week, yes — the dollar is 3.4% higher than seven days ago.
Compared with the recent range, it sits mid-range, not at a peak.
Over the past 67 days the dollar traded between ₩1,336 and ₩1,558, so ₩1,388 is in the middle of that window.
No source offers a reliable forecast of where the rate goes next, and one-day moves in both directions are common.
If you are exchanging a small travel amount, the timing difference is small either way and you lose little by exchanging when you need the cash.
If you are moving $1,000 or more, splitting the exchange into parts beats trying to pick one good day.
Should I exchange dollars in the US or in Korea?
Exchange in Korea for cash, and not at the airport — a licensed private exchange shop in Myeongdong or Hongdae is usually the cheapest option for small amounts.
Exchanging happens at three prices, and the table below shows what each tier costs on $500 at ₩1,388.
| Tier | Spread | Cost on $500 vs mid |
|---|---|---|
| Wire transfer rate | ~0.98% | ~₩6,900 extra |
| Bank cash rate | ~1.75% | ~₩12,100 extra |
| Airport counter | up to 6% | up to ~₩41,600 extra |
Airport counters run up to 6% worse than mid-market, which on $500 is up to about ₩41,600 extra.
For $100 or less in cash, head to a Myeongdong or Hongdae private exchange shop rather than an airport counter.
For a few hundred dollars, split it — exchange part now and keep some for later, since the rate sits mid-range and timing gains are limited.
When is the USD to KRW rate actually updated?
Korea Eximbank posts the official reference rate every business day around 11:00 KST, and that number is the baseline banks and exchange houses use.
Before 11:00 KST on a business day, the previous day’s rate applies.
On weekends and public holidays, the last business day’s rate carries over — so a Saturday screenshot shows Friday’s number.
If you are checking the rate before 11:00 KST or on a weekend, treat what you see as yesterday’s figure and check again after the posting.
Card, cash, and getting around Seoul in dollars
Cards work for most daily spending in Seoul — most cafes and restaurants take Visa and Mastercard — but card networks add roughly a 1–2% conversion markup over the mid-market rate.
For cash costs, Seoul taxis start at ₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km, about $3.46 at ₩1,388 (September 18, 2026).
The airport limousine bus from Incheon to central Seoul costs ₩17,000–25,000, about $12–18.
For everything else, a card usually covers it, and the 1–2% markup is often less than the cash spread you would pay at a counter.
If your card has no foreign transaction fee of its own, paying by card for most purchases and exchanging only a small amount of cash is usually the cheaper combination.
If I were exchanging a small travel amount, I would do it at a Myeongdong or Hongdae private exchange shop rather than the airport — the cash spread difference is the one cost I can fully avoid by choosing where I change money.
The first thing I would check before a trip is my card’s foreign transaction fee, since that decides whether paying by card or carrying cash is actually cheaper.
👉 Today’s live USD to KRW rate with converter, chart, and daily bank rates (koreankorea.com)
👉 Korea Eximbank daily reference rate
👉 Seoul subway fares and T-money info (Seoul Metro)
Related posts
📎 Seoul — everything we know
📎 📅 다가오는 일정 — 발매·개봉·발표 캘린더
Sources
- cash ~1.75%, wire ~1% spread; airport up to 6% worse than mi (dollar.im)
- 1 USD = ₩1,388, +3.4% 7-day, 67-day range ₩1,336-1,558 (koreankorea.com)
- ₩1,400 T-money base (medium confidence) (seoulmetro.com)
Summary
- 1 USD = ₩1,388 on September 18, 2026 (ECB reference) — up 3.4% in seven days, so $100 buys about ₩138,800.
- On $500, city private exchange is cheapest, bank cash adds about ₩12,100, and an airport counter can add up to ₩41,600.
- Check the official rate after 11:00 KST on a business day — before that, and on weekends, you are seeing the prior business day’s number.
- No source forecasts the next move, so split larger exchanges rather than trying to time one day.
FAQ
Q. How much is $100 in Korean won today?
About ₩138,800 at the ECB reference rate of ₩1,388 on September 18, 2026 — roughly ₩4,600 more than a week earlier.
Q. Is now a good time to exchange USD for won?
The dollar is 3.4% higher than a week ago, which favors exchanging over last week. It sits mid-range in the 67-day window of ₩1,336–₩1,558, and no source forecasts the next move.
Q. Should I exchange dollars in the US or in Korea?
In Korea, for cash amounts — city private exchange shops in Myeongdong or Hongdae usually beat banks, and airport counters can cost up to 6% more than mid-market.
Q. When does Korea post the official USD/KRW rate?
Korea Eximbank posts it every business day around 11:00 KST; before 11:00 and on weekends, the last business day’s rate applies.
Q. Can I just use a credit card in Seoul instead of exchanging cash?
Yes for most cafes and restaurants — Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted — but card networks add about 1–2% over the mid-market rate.
Check today’s rebuilt USD–KRW page — ECB rate, bank buy/sell rates, and a live converter
Cover photo: 80 1 dollar bills in a homemade banknote strap by BrayLockBoy — CC BY-SA 4.0
#USDtoKRW #Koreatravelmoney #exchangeratetoday #Myeongdongexchange #Seoultravelbudget #dollartowon
📅Upcoming Dates — 이번 주 20 · D-1 Final two episodes drop on Disney+/Hulu전체 보기 →
