13 tips for visiting South Korea on a budget

20.02.2024 - 07:17 / lonelyplanet.com

South Korea's cost of living is on the rise, but it's definitely still possible to visit on a budget. Between its vast and affordable transit system, wide range of dining options and abundance of low-cost activities and attractions, South Korea can prove a relatively inexpensive travel destination.

To maximize your savings, here's a guide full of helpful pointers to visiting South Korea on a budget.

South Korea is one of the most connected countries in the world, with many cities offering free wi-fi in busy public areas, in public transport stations and aboard buses and subways. Almost every cafe will provide customers with free wi-fi, and most accommodations, even small places, are likely to have internet access. 

With so much free Internet around, it's entirely doable to forgo the SIM card altogether and rely on the nation's robust wi-fi infrastructure and pre-downloaded maps and translation apps instead. But if you want to guarantee that you'll always be connected, buy a SIM card in advance through sites like Trazy, Klook or Korea Sim and then pick it up at the airport. If your phone supports an electronic SIM card, purchase a short-term plan through eSIM Korea for as little as ₩1000 per day.

Winter weather enthusiasts, rejoice! January is the cheapest month for airfare to South Korea, and it's a prime time for avoiding the crowds and partaking in winter sports activities. But if below-freezing temperatures are not your thing, the next most affordable (non-winter) months to fly are November, October and March. For the best deals, be sure to book your tickets at least five weeks in advance.

Taxis from the airport are expensive and no faster than the bus or airtrain. The AREX train (departing from level B1F of the airport) to Seoul Station costs ₩4150 to ₩9500 for an adult ticket, depending on whether you select the 60-minute all-stop or the 45-minute express. From there, transfer to the subway to get around the capital. Or if you're heading beyond Seoul, buy a Korail railway ticket. 

Even more affordable than the Korail are the airport buses, which leave directly from the airport (1F from Terminal 1, B1F from Terminal 2) and go to many major cities across the country.

If you plan on traveling to several cities in a short time span, look into purchasing a Korail Pass. Available in two varieties – a consecutive three- or five-day duration period or a flexible two- or four-day duration period – the Korail Pass ranges from ₩131,000 to ₩244,000 for adults. If you're traveling in a group of two or more, that price drops by ₩10,000, and if you're 27 or younger, you qualify for the youth price, discounted even further to ₩105,000 to ₩195,000. The Korail Pass is specifically for international travelers and works