How much does a trip to South Korea cost? 2027 budget for 7 days

The totals

These totals cover everything on the ground for the whole week: rooms, three meals and drinks every day, the airport train both ways, three KTX rides, every metro, bus and taxi, the sights on the route, a local eSIM, the K-ETA travel authorisation and a 10% buffer for snacks and small surprises. Only the international flight is separate, and it is priced at the end. Euro figures use the European Central Bank rate of 20 October 2026 (EUR 1 = KRW 1,489.17).

The model trip

Two adults share one private room for 7 days and 6 nights, from 13 to 19 April 2027, following our South Korea in 7 days itinerary: two nights in Seoul for the palaces, Bukchon, Insa-dong and N Seoul Tower; the KTX to Gyeongju for two nights, with Bulguksa, Seokguram, the tombs of Daereungwon and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond; the KTX to Busan for two nights, with Jagalchi market, Gamcheon, the Haeundae Beach Train and the hot springs of Dongnae; and the KTX back to Seoul and the airport train on the last day. Prices were checked on 21 October 2026.

Citizens of the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Portugal, the Nordic countries, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need no visa for a short holiday. The temporary exemption from the K-ETA travel authorisation is announced only until 31 December 2026, so the totals include a K-ETA for 2027 at KRW 10,000 plus a card processing fee of generally about 3%. See South Korea entry requirements. Hotels have not published rates for April 2027 and many restaurants publish no prices, so those figures are estimates marked "about", based on the rates and menus we could see.

Budget: about KRW 2.02 million for two

Private rooms in a hostel, a small hanok guesthouse and a simple spa hotel, soup and noodle restaurants and market snacks, and the metro, buses and KTX.

• Rooms, about KRW 600,000. A private double at a hostel in Insa-dong (about KRW 90,000 a night), a private ondol room at a small hanok guesthouse in Gyeongju's old town (about KRW 110,000) and a simple spa hotel in Dongnae (about KRW 100,000).
• Food, about KRW 550,000. About KRW 35,000 a day each: a toast for breakfast, a bowl of rice soup (Visit Seoul lists the Seochon sundae soup house at about KRW 10,000) or milmyeon noodles in Busan, a coffee and a market snack such as hotteok, plus one samgyetang lunch and one pork barbecue dinner.
• Getting around, about KRW 400,000. The AREX all-stop train to and from the airport (KRW 4,750 each way), Seoul metro rides (KRW 1,550), the KTX from Seoul to Gyeongju (about KRW 50,000) and from Gyeongju to Busan (about KRW 15,000), city buses in Gyeongju (KRW 1,300, or 1,700 on seated buses), a taxi to Gyeongju station, the Busan metro, the KTX from Busan back to Seoul (KRW 54,400) and two Tmoney cards (KRW 4,000 each).
• Sights, about KRW 180,000. The integrated palace ticket (KRW 6,000) and the Huwon garden (KRW 5,000), N Seoul Tower's observatory (KRW 29,000) with the Namsan cable car return (KRW 15,000), the Daereungwon and Donggung and Wolji combination (KRW 6,000), the Haeundae Beach Train from Mipo (KRW 10,000) and the Hurshimchung hot spring in Dongnae (KRW 18,000 at weekends). Bulguksa, Seokguram, the Gyeongju National Museum, Gamcheon and Haedong Yonggungsa are free.
• SIM, K-ETA and extras, about KRW 100,000. A tourist eSIM each (LG U+ sells 5 days for KRW 27,500; allow about KRW 35,000 for a week), the K-ETA (about KRW 10,300 each) and laundry.
• Buffer, about KRW 190,000.

Mid-range: about KRW 3.34 million for two

A business hotel in Insa-dong, a nicer hanok room, a hot-spring hotel in Dongnae, sit-down restaurants, the AREX Express and taxis.

• Rooms, about KRW 1 million. A Standard Double at ibis Ambassador Insadong (about KRW 170,000 a night), a larger hanok room in Gyeongju (about KRW 150,000) and a Double Standard at Nokcheon Hot Spring Hotel (KRW 160,000 on weekdays and KRW 200,000 at weekends, tax and service included).
• Food, about KRW 1.05 million. About KRW 75,000 a day each: a rice soup breakfast, samgyetang at Tosokchon, pork barbecue in Ikseon-dong, seafood at Jagalchi, coffee and Gyeongju's hwangnam bread.
• Getting around, about KRW 690,000. The AREX Express both ways (KRW 13,000), the same KTX rides, a taxi for the day around Bulguksa and Seokguram, taxis between the Gyeongju station and the hanok, and more taxis in Seoul and Busan.
• Sights, about KRW 180,000. As above.
• SIM, K-ETA and extras, about KRW 110,000.
• Buffer, about KRW 310,000.

Comfort: about KRW 6.26 million for two

Serviced suites in Seoul, a hanok suite in Gyeongju, Hotel Nongshim in Dongnae, hotel breakfasts, better restaurants and a car for every transfer.

• Rooms, about KRW 2.03 million. A one-bedroom suite at Orakai Insadong Suites (about KRW 300,000 a night), a suite at Hwangnamguan Hanok Village (about KRW 350,000) and a Deluxe Twin at Hotel Nongshim (KRW 363,000 a night, VAT included).
• Food, about KRW 2.1 million. About KRW 150,000 a day each: hotel breakfasts (Nongshim's buffet is KRW 30,600), samgyetang with all the trimmings, a seafood dinner upstairs at Jagalchi, good cafes and desserts.
• Getting around, about KRW 1.26 million. Private cars to and from Incheon (about KRW 120,000 each way), the KTX, a car and driver for the Gyeongju temples, cars to every station and taxis whenever you like.
• Sights, about KRW 170,000. As above, with half-price hot springs for two guests of the Nongshim's Deluxe Twin.
• SIM, K-ETA and extras, about KRW 130,000.
• Buffer, about KRW 570,000.

One day at each level: Bulguksa, Seokguram and the tombs

Day 4 starts at Bulguksa temple and the Seokguram grotto above it, then returns to Gyeongju's old town for the royal tombs of Daereungwon and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond at dusk. Costs are per person and include half the room.

• Budget, about KRW 100,000. City buses to the temples and back, free entry at Bulguksa and Seokguram, the tombs and palace combination (KRW 6,000), soup and noodles, a coffee, and half of the hanok guesthouse room.
• Mid-range, about KRW 230,000. Half of a taxi for the day, the same tickets, a sit-down lunch and dinner, a bakery stop, and half of the larger hanok room.
• Comfort, about KRW 430,000. Half of a car and driver, the same tickets, restaurant meals, and half of the hanok suite.

Flights and the total with flights

Korean Air flies from London to Seoul, with 2027 economy returns from GBP 825 on its fare calendar, including taxes and fuel surcharges. Allow about GBP 850-1,150 per person (about KRW 1.51-2.04 million) for an economy return in April; from Frankfurt, Korean Air shows 2027 fares from EUR 879, so allow about EUR 950-1,300.

With the London flight, the whole trip comes to about KRW 2.52-3.05 million per person on a budget, KRW 3.18-3.71 million mid-range or KRW 4.64-5.17 million in comfort. Tipping is not required or expected in Korea, so the buffer only has to cover small extras.