How much do things cost in Korea? This Korea travel price index collects the everyday prices our guides have checked: subway and bus fares, airport transfers, palace and attraction tickets, street food and coffee, and services like luggage storage. Every row links to the guide where we checked it, and we update the table when prices change.
Last checked: October 2026. Prices in Korean won; dollar figures use about 1,330 KRW = 1 USD.
Quick answer
- Subway ride: 1,550 KRW (~$1.17) with a T-money card.
- Airport to Seoul: from about 4,750 KRW by AREX all-stop train.
- Palace ticket: 1,000–3,000 KRW; free in hanbok at Gyeongbokgung.
- Street snack: 2,000–6,000 KRW; café coffee 5,500–8,000 KRW.
Plan your budget: turn these prices into a range for your own trip with our Korea travel budget calculator →
How much is transport in Korea?
| Item | Price | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul subway, basic fare (T-money) | 1,550 KRW ~$1.17 | first 10 km; +100 KRW per extra 5 km | Guide |
| Seoul subway, single-journey ticket | 1,650 KRW ~$1.24 | plus a 500 KRW refundable deposit | Guide |
| Seoul city bus (blue/green) | 1,500 KRW ~$1.13 | card fare; village buses 1,200, red express 3,000 | Guide |
| Seoul late-night N bus | 2,500 KRW ~$1.88 | card fare | Guide |
| Taxi base fare, Seoul | 4,800 KRW ~$3.61 | standard taxi; deluxe and jumbo from 7,000 | Guide |
| AREX all-stop train, Incheon Airport → Seoul Station | 4,750–5,350 KRW ~$3.57–4.02 | 60–66 minutes | Guide |
| Airport limousine bus to central Seoul | 15,000–18,000 KRW ~$11–14 | 60–90 minutes | Guide |
| Taxi, Incheon Airport → central Seoul | 55,000–75,000 KRW ~$41–56 | standard taxi incl. tolls, roughly | Guide |
| KTX, Seoul → Busan (standard) | 54,400 KRW ~$41 | about 2 h 15 min–2 h 45 min | Guide |
| Busan subway fare | 1,600–1,800 KRW ~$1.20–1.35 | by distance, transit card | Guide |
How much are tickets to Korea’s top sights?
| Item | Price | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Palace | 3,000 KRW ~$2.26 | free in hanbok; closed Tuesdays | Guide |
| Changdeokgung + Secret Garden tour | 8,000 KRW ~$6.02 | palace 3,000 + garden 5,000 | Guide |
| Deoksugung / Jongmyo | 1,000 KRW ~$0.75 | each | Guide |
| N Seoul Tower observatory (adult) | 29,000 KRW ~$22 | children 23,000 | Guide |
| Namsan Cable Car, round trip | 15,000 KRW ~$11 | about; or the 01A/01B bus for 1,400 | Guide |
| Lotte World 1-day pass (gate) | 62,000–67,000 KRW ~$47–50 | foreigner online deals often cheaper | Guide |
| Everland 1-day ticket (gate) | 55,000–71,000 KRW ~$41–53 | by season, from 6 Oct 2026 | Guide |
| Nami Island entry + ferry | 19,000 KRW ~$14 | adults | Guide |
| Busan Tower | 12,000 KRW ~$9.02 | adults | Guide |
| DMZ, official Paju tour ticket | 12,200 KRW ~$9.17 | with the tunnel monorail | Guide |
How much does food cost in Seoul?
| Item | Price | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street food snack in Myeongdong | 2,000–6,000 KRW ~$1.50–4.51 | per item | Guide |
| Bindaetteok (mung-bean pancake), Gwangjang Market | 5,000 KRW ~$3.76 | about | Guide |
| Mayak gimbap, Gwangjang Market | 4,000 KRW ~$3.01 | a plate | Guide |
| Tteokbokki, Hongdae | 5,500 KRW ~$4.14 | about | Guide |
| Coffee at a café (Ikseon-dong) | 5,500–8,000 KRW ~$4.14–6.02 | specialty drip can be more | Guide |
| Gomtang (beef soup), Seongsu | 15,000 KRW ~$11 | lunch | Guide |
| Kalguksu noodles, Namdaemun Market | 10,000 KRW ~$7.52 | under | Guide |
| Food budget at Gwangjang Market | 15,000–25,000 KRW ~$11–19 | per person | Guide |
How much are luggage storage, cards and refunds?
| Item | Price | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffed luggage storage | 3,000–9,000 KRW ~$2.26–6.77 | per bag; lockers are cheaper | Guide |
| Luggage delivery between subway stations | 25,000–45,000 KRW ~$19–34 | one way | Guide |
| WOWPASS card issue | 5,000 KRW ~$3.76 | prepaid card for visitors | Guide |
| T-money refund fee | 500 KRW ~$0.38 | on leftover balance | Guide |
| Tax refund minimum purchase | 15,000 KRW ~$11 | per payment, with passport | Guide |
What’s a realistic daily budget?
- Budget: about 60,000–90,000 KRW a day plus a dorm bed (hostels in Seoul): subway, market meals and free sights.
- Mid-range: about 120,000–200,000 KRW a day plus a hotel: a paid attraction, café stops and a barbecue dinner.
- Plan your days with our Seoul itinerary, which includes a cost table.
FAQ
Is Korea expensive for tourists?
Transport and palaces are cheap; cafés, theme parks and hotels cost about the same as in other big Asian cities.
Do I need cash in Korea?
Cards work almost everywhere; carry some cash for market stalls and topping up T-money (money in Korea).