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South Korea Cost of Living 2026
๐ฐ๐ท 16 cities in South Korea, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in South Korea compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฐ๐ท GwangjuBig city | $108 | $1,626 | โฉ9,000 | โฉ4,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท PohangMid-size city | $112 | $1,593 | โฉ8,500 | โฉ4,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท UlsanBig city ยท coast | $113 | $1,942 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ4,800 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท JeonjuTourist ยท mid-size | $114 | $1,862 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท DaejeonBig city | $119 | $1,769 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ4,700 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท DaeguBig city | $122 | $1,741 | โฉ9,500 | โฉ4,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท IncheonBig city ยท coast | $124 | $2,029 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท SuwonBig city | $125 | $1,999 | โฉ9,500 | โฉ4,700 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท GangneungResort ยท mid-size | $130 | $1,873 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท JejuResort | $133 | $2,168 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท BusanBig city ยท coast | $135 | $1,973 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท SokchoResort ยท small town | $135 | $2,109 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท GyeongjuTourist ยท mid-size | $135 | $1,928 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท YeosuTourist ยท mid-size | $138 | $1,943 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท TongyeongTourist ยท small town | $140 | $1,855 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท SeoulBig city | $150 | $2,762 | โฉ10,000 | โฉ5,500 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in South Korea
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฐ๐ท Gwangju | โฉ4,500 | โฉ7,500 | โฉ70,000 | โฉ50,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Pohang | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,200 | โฉ80,000 | โฉ45,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Ulsan | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,500 | โฉ70,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Jeonju | โฉ5,000 | โฉ6,500 | โฉ80,000 | โฉ55,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Daejeon | โฉ4,500 | โฉ7,000 | โฉ80,000 | โฉ55,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Daegu | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,100 | โฉ85,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Incheon | โฉ5,500 | โฉ7,600 | โฉ85,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Suwon | โฉ5,000 | โฉ8,000 | โฉ90,000 | โฉ50,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Gangneung | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,100 | โฉ100,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Jeju | โฉ5,500 | โฉ7,500 | โฉ90,000 | โฉ70,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Busan | โฉ5,500 | โฉ8,000 | โฉ95,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Sokcho | โฉ5,500 | โฉ7,500 | โฉ100,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Gyeongju | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,300 | โฉ100,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Yeosu | โฉ5,500 | โฉ6,600 | โฉ100,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Tongyeong | โฉ5,000 | โฉ7,300 | โฉ100,000 | โฉ60,000 |
| ๐ฐ๐ท Seoul | โฉ5,500 | โฉ8,500 | โฉ110,000 | โฉ70,000 |
South Korea vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ต๐ญ Philippines | $83.2 | $1,313 | -34% |
| ๐ฐ๐ฌ Kyrgyzstan | $92.8 | $1,613 | -27% |
| ๐ฐ๐ฟ Kazakhstan | $103 | $1,791 | -19% |
| ๐ฒ๐ณ Mongolia | $112 | $1,925 | -12% |
| ๐ฆ๐ฟ Azerbaijan | $125 | $1,924 | -2% |
| ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | $127 | $1,948 | this country |
| ๐น๐ผ Taiwan | $136 | $1,771 | +7% |
| ๐ฒ๐ป Maldives | $158 | $2,919 | +24% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Seoul vs New York: item by item
| Item | Seoul | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | โฉ10,000โ $7.25 | $20 | -64% |
| Coffee | โฉ5,500โ $3.99 | $6 | -34% |
| Beer | โฉ5,500โ $3.99 | $9 | -56% |
| 5 km taxi | โฉ8,500โ $6.16 | $23 | -73% |
| Hotel night | โฉ110,000โ $79.7 | $270 | -70% |
| 1-bed rent | โฉ1,000,000โ $725 | $3,300 | -78% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Seoul $150 vs New York $467 โ about 68% cheaper.
Compare South Korea with other cities
Money tips for South Korea
Paying
Cards and mobile pay work everywhere; a T-money card covers subway, buses and even convenience stores.
Tipping
No tipping.
Menu prices
Prices include VAT.
Getting around
Subways and buses are dense and cheap. Taxis are metered; Kakao T is the main app. A late-night surcharge applies.
Haggling
No haggling outside traditional markets.
Water
Tap water is safe, though most people drink filtered or bottled.
Common rip-offs
Rare. Avoid unlicensed call-vans and touts outside the airport.
South Korea travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daegu | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Incheon | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Seoul | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daejeon | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Gwangju | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Gyeongju | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jeonju | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Suwon | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Gangneung | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Pohang | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Sokcho | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Tongyeong | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Ulsan | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Yeosu | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jeju | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in South Korea?
With a mid-range room, between $108 and $150 a day depending on the city โ about $127 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in South Korea cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $1,626โ$2,762 by city, about $1,948 on average.
Which city in South Korea is cheapest?
By daily budget, Gwangju ($108/day) is the cheapest and Seoul ($150/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than South Korea?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Philippines runs about $83.2 a day โ 34% less than South Korea (about $127).
Is South Korea cheaper than New York?
In Seoul, a traveler's day runs about $150 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 68% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.