Seoul Cost of Living 2026
South Korea · Big city — about the US average. Updated September 2026 Not just the exchange rate: how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price turns into a rip-off.
Seoul price table & rip-off thresholds
| Item | Base price | Normal range | Rip-off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ₩10,000$7.25 | ₩7,000 – ₩16,000 | ₩19,200+ |
| Street food1 item | ₩4,500$3.26 | ₩2,700 – ₩8,100 | ₩9,720+ |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ₩30,000$21.7 | ₩21,000 – ₩48,000 | ₩57,600+ |
| Bakery & dessert1 item | ₩4,500$3.26 | ₩2,700 – ₩8,100 | ₩9,720+ |
| Coffeeone cup | ₩5,000$3.62 | ₩3,000 – ₩8,000 | ₩9,600+ |
| Fruit juiceone cup | ₩5,700$4.13 | ₩3,420 – ₩10,260 | ₩12,312+ |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ₩2,500$1.81 | ₩1,500 – ₩4,750 | ₩5,700+ |
| Bottled water | ₩1,000$0.72 | ₩700 – ₩2,000 | ₩2,400+ |
| Beerone bottle | ₩5,000$3.62 | ₩3,000 – ₩8,500 | ₩10,200+ |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ₩13,000$9.42 | ₩7,800 – ₩22,100 | ₩26,520+ |
| Taxi5 km in town | ₩9,000$6.52 | ₩7,200 – ₩14,400 | ₩17,280+ |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ₩11,000$7.97 | ₩7,700 – ₩19,800 | ₩23,760+ |
| Transitone ride | ₩1,500$1.09 | ₩1,350 – ₩1,950 | ₩2,340+ |
| Scooter rentalper day | ₩36,000$26.1 | ₩25,200 – ₩57,600 | ₩69,120+ |
| Hotel night3-star | ₩130,000$94.2 | ₩78,000 – ₩208,000 | ₩249,600+ |
| Laundry | ₩5,700$4.13 | ₩3,990 – ₩9,120 | ₩10,944+ |
| SIM card1 week data | ₩22,000$15.9 | ₩15,400 – ₩37,400 | ₩44,880+ |
| Haircutcut | ₩25,000$18.1 | ₩15,000 – ₩45,000 | ₩54,000+ |
| Massage1 hour | ₩72,000$52.2 | ₩50,400 – ₩115,200 | ₩138,240+ |
| Half-day tourper person | ₩86,000$62.3 | ₩60,200 – ₩137,600 | ₩165,120+ |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ₩17,000$12.3 | ₩13,600 – ₩23,800 | ₩28,560+ |
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in what travelers actually paid. Rate ₩1,380 per USD, for reference.
Live prices reported in Seoul
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FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Seoul for a month?
A short-term studio rental (about $1,806) plus food, coffee, transport and a SIM (about $1,080) comes to roughly $2,887 a month. A local long-term lease (studio ₩1,100,000) brings it down a lot.
What is a realistic daily budget for Seoul?
A mid-range room (about $97 a night) plus three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides is about $165 a day. Hostels and local eateries bring it well under that.
How do I know if a taxi in Seoul is overcharging?
For 5 km in the city, expect ₩7,200 – ₩14,400. Anything above ₩17,280 is suspicious. The app's Price Check lets you pick the distance and gives a verdict in seconds.
How much is a coffee or a local meal in Seoul?
Coffee about ₩5,000 ($3.62), a local meal about ₩10,000 ($7.25), dinner at a mid-range restaurant about ₩30,000.