You don’t need a big budget to fall in love with Seoul – just curiosity, a transit card, and a little bit of strategy. From sizzling street food to rooftop cafés and late-night markets, the city rewards travelers who know how to handle their money.
The Korean Won (₩) might look confusing at first, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it. A few smart habits can stretch your budget and help you enjoy the best of Seoul without missing a beat.
Getting Comfortable with the Won
The first thing most visitors notice: the numbers look big. A bottle of water might be ₩1,500, lunch ₩10,000, a taxi ₩12,000 – and yet, it’s not as expensive as it sounds. Once you realize ₩1,000 equals roughly 75 cents, the math starts to make sense.
Bills come in ₩1,000, ₩5,000, ₩10,000, and ₩50,000 notes, while coins take care of small change. You’ll mostly use 1,000s and 10,000s, so it’s simple once you start spending.
While Seoul is highly digital, cash still matters. Street vendors, smaller taxis, and traditional markets often prefer it. Before your flight, it’s smart to exchange South Korean Won in advance – you’ll get better rates and avoid the rush at airport kiosks.
What a Day in Seoul Really Costs
How much you spend in Seoul depends less on what you do – and more on how you do it. A few choices can double or halve your daily budget.
Budget travelers (₩70,000-₩100,000 / $50–$75): can get by comfortably with hostels, street food, and public transit. It’s easy to eat for under ₩8,000 and still feel full – Korea’s casual eateries are among the best value in Asia.
Mid-range travelers (₩120,000-₩200,000 / $90–$150): enjoy cozy hotels, a mix of café meals and Korean BBQ, and a few paid experiences like palace tours or themed exhibitions.
Luxury travelers (₩250,000+ / $180+): can easily fill their days with high-end stays in Gangnam, private food tours, or fine dining tasting menus. But even then, Seoul often feels fair – the service quality is consistently high.
For most people, Seoul sits comfortably in the middle: affordable for a major capital, especially when you spend like locals do.
How the City Eats Your Money (and When It’s Worth It)
Food is where Seoul truly wins. You can grab a full meal for the price of a coffee elsewhere. A steaming bowl of bibimbap or spicy tteokbokki from a food stall costs ₩5,000-₩8,000. Street snacks like fish cake skewers or gimbap rolls are even less.
Cafés, however, are another story. Coffee culture is strong – and it’s easy to spend ₩6,000–₩8,000 on a single latte, especially in trendier neighborhoods like Ikseon-dong or Garosu-gil. If you visit several cafés a day (and you probably will), it adds up fast.
For sit-down meals, expect ₩10,000-₩20,000 for lunch and ₩25,000-₩40,000 for dinner with drinks. A Korean BBQ night might hit ₩60,000 or more, but it’s one of those things you have to experience at least once.
Accommodation is equally flexible. Capsule hotels and guesthouses start around ₩40,000–₩60,000 per night, while mid-range hotels hover between ₩80,000-₩120,000. Clean, affordable, and well-located options are everywhere – even near Myeongdong and Hongdae.
Paying Smart: Cash or Card?
You’ll rarely struggle to pay with a card in Seoul. Most stores, hotels, and restaurants accept Visa and Mastercard, and many use contactless readers or mobile wallets like Samsung Pay or Apple Pay.
Still, having a bit of cash (₩20,000–₩50,000) makes daily life easier. Markets, subway reloading machines, and small cafés may not take cards, especially in older areas. ATMs labeled “Global” or “Foreign Card Accepted” are your best bet for withdrawals – you’ll find them in banks and convenience stores.
Always choose “Charge in KRW” when the machine asks – selecting your home currency adds a quiet conversion fee. And if you withdraw from a 7-Eleven, check the screen carefully: they’re reliable but sometimes charge small transaction fees.
Getting Around Town
The Seoul subway system is fast, spotless, and extremely affordable. One ride costs about ₩1,400-₩1,800, depending on distance. A T-money card (about ₩2,500) makes it even easier – you can reload it at any station and use it on buses and convenience stores too.
Taxis are still inexpensive by international standards. A 20-minute ride across the city might cost ₩10,000-₩12,000, though traffic can change that quickly. Apps like KakaoTaxi work well, especially if you’re not fluent in Korean.
Local Habits That Save You Money
You’ll notice Koreans are quietly efficient when it comes to spending. They eat out often but rarely waste, and they make full use of public spaces. A few of their habits are worth borrowing:
- Eat like locals. Neighborhood diners and mom-and-pop shops (shikdang) serve hearty set meals – rice, soup, side dishes – for ₩8,000-₩10,000.
- Shop outside tourist areas. Underground malls in Gangnam or Ewha are packed with affordable clothes, accessories, and gifts.
- Drink water, not soda. Tap water is perfectly safe, and restaurants often serve it free.
- Plan your caffeine wisely. Seoul’s café scene is tempting, but cutting one coffee a day easily saves ₩40,000 over a week.
- Use public parks and markets. They’re free, lively, and full of culture – some of the best experiences in Seoul cost nothing at all.
And don’t think that these choices don’t make your trip feel “cheap” – they make it feel real.
Cultural Notes and Tipping
Tipping isn’t customary in Korea, even in high-end restaurants. Service is part of the price, and people take pride in offering it without expectation.
When paying, hand cash or cards with both hands – a small sign of respect that’s quickly noticed and appreciated. And if you’re dining out, don’t rush to split bills – one person usually pays, and friends settle later through apps or transfers.
Final Thoughts
Seoul doesn’t demand luxury spending to leave a mark. You can eat dinner under neon lights for a few dollars, explore ancient palaces for the price of a coffee, and hop between neighborhoods for less than two bucks.
Because in Seoul, “making your money count” isn’t about cutting corners, but about learning to live at the city’s pace. Fast, flavorful, and always worth it.
