Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Beirut?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Beirut or Seoul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Beirut and Seoul. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Beirut or Seoul?
Beirut
Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.
Seoul
With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, and The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeirut $2.25Seoul $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $2.25, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $111. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Beirut and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeirut $1.26Seoul $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeirut $2.52Seoul $112
Compare Hotels in Beirut and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Beirut or Seoul? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Beirut Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beirut $0.44Seoul $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut
Also for Beirut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer Pickup: $9.89
- Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY): $10
- Airport Arrival Transfer to Your Beirut Hotel: $10
- Private Transfer from Beirut Hotels to the Beirut Airport: $10
- Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer: $13
- Airport Transfer and Pickup Services in Beirut: $13
- Beirut Airport one Way Private Transfer to the hotel: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Beirut International Airport to Hotel: $18
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Beirut International Airport: $18
- Private Transfer from Rafic Hariri (BEY) Airport to Beirut: $47
- Hiking Day Trip to Chouwen Lake with Hotel Transfers: $86
- Beirut Airport Transfer in a Limousine: $201
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
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Subway Card$3.74
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Short Taxi Ride$5.23
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Metro Ride$1.01
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- Private Transfer l Airport to/from Seoul: $98
- Private Transfer in a Cadillac Escalade: $400
- Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport (1-12pax): $173
- Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport: $103
- Lotte World Ticket with Private Transfer: $108
- Seoul to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) Departure Private Transfer: $93
- Seoul Incheon Airport(ICN) to from Seoul Private Transfer: $113
- Private transfer from Seoul hotel to Seoul Station and so on: $97
- Private Transfer between Seoul City and Gyeongbokgung Palace: $69
- Private Transfer Incheon Airport <-> Seoul Korea: $110
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer From Incheon Airport To Seoul(up to 12): $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Beirut change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBeirut $0.71Seoul $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut
For Beirut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Lebanese Virtual Cooking Class Live from Lebanon: $30
- Traveling Spoon Lebanese Mezze Private Online Cooking Class : $40
- Motorbike Tour with Local Street Food Dinner: $50
- Private, Traditional Lebanese Cooking Class with a Contemporary Twist: $72
- Private Lebanese Home Cooking Class in Byblos with a Local Family: $86
- Beirut Street Food Tour, Lebanon: $93
- Authentic Lebanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with Tania's Family in Beirut: $100
- Private Lebanese Cooking Class in Beirut with Amal + Transfers: $142
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.48
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Waffle$0.75
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Dippin' Dots$1.49
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Chicken Fried Rice$4.11
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Chicken Stick$1.49
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.42
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Lunch Buffet$4.48
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Donut$0.75
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Mushroom Burger$3.88
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.47
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Udon & Sushi$5.23
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Fresh Burger$3.59
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.36
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.74
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Fried Rice$4.11
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Vietnamese Dinner$7.10
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$7.10
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Donut$1.87
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Oriental Medicine&Optional Temple Vegan Cooking Class: $39
- Korean Grandma Cooking Class l Gimbap & Kimchi Pancake l Seoul: $45
- Seoul Mangwon Market Social Night Food Tour: $45
- Namdaemun Market: the Largest Traditional Market Food Tour: $47
- Namdaemun Market Street Food Tour: $49
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals; Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $49
- Oriental Medicine&Optional Temple Vegan Cooking Class: $49
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $51
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $55
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $59
- 1 Day Trek & Trip, Inwangsan Sunset Hiking and Dinner: $62
- Vegan Korean Food Cooking Class: $64
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beirut $0.26Seoul $27
Tours and Activities in Beirut
For Beirut, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Small Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harisa & Byblos with Hotel pickup: $10
- Discovering Lebanon: Jeita Grotto, Harissa, and Byblos Tour: $15
- City Sightseeing Beirut Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
- Beirut Walking Tour - Discover Beirut by foot: $25
- Hidden Gems of Hamra and Ras A Walking Tour: $30
- Beirut Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- Lebanon's Treasures: Jeita Grotto and Harissa Private Tour: $35
- Beirut Walking Tour: $35
- Beirut : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour): $35
- Lebanon's Historic Gems: Private Tour of Jeita, Byblos & Harissa: $40
- Beirut Full Day Walking Tour: $41
Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
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Palace Tickets$5.98
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Movie Ticket$5.98
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Kimchi Museum$2.24
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Danyang Tour of Guinsa Temple, Bobaljae and Cheongpung Cable Car: $96
- Private Tour Nami Island with Petite France 'and/or' The Garden of Morning Calm: $98
- 'Must Do' Seoul Tram guided Tour with local street food tasting: $60
- (Private tour) Nami Island + Railbike + Garden of morning calm: $220
- 1 Day Private Full DMZ Tour in Seoul with Crystal Gondola: $220
- 2-Hour Private Kayaking and Paddleboarding Experience in Hanriver: $30
- 2D 1N Phoenix Pyeongchang Reseot Stay + Trout Ice-Fishing Festival Tour: $144
- 3 Hour Walking Tour in Songpa Seoul: $50
- 3-Hour Self-guided Sokcho Tour with Private Transportation: $33
- 3-Hour Seoul Tasting Tour: Cityhall, Gwanghwamun & Jeongdong Area: $108
- A Day tour of Healing in the DMZ Zone: $52
- ARMY Bangtan pilgrimage tour in Seoul: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeirut $0.23Seoul $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut
Also in Beirut, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bekaa Valley Wine Tour: Savour Lebanon's Finest: $50
- Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour: $56
- Uncorking Splendor: A Journey Through Private Wine Tasting Tours: $60
- Full-Day Private Wine Tour in Bekaa Valley with Tasting : $60
- Byblos & Chateau Musar: History and Wine Tour: $65
- Wine Tasting and Culture : $69
- Wine Tasting and Hiking in the Cedars forest : $69
- Half-Day Private Chateau Musar and Ixsir Wine Tour from Beirut: $84
- From Full Day Wine Tasting in the Bekaa Valley Tour: $90
- Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour From Beirut: $91
- Full-Day Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour from Beirut: $106
- Wine Tasting Tour: $160
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chunpoong Makgeolli Brewery Visitor Ticket: $11
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $21
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
- Chunpoong Brewery Tour:Award Winning Makgeolli(rice wine): $34
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $43
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - Story of Three Pigs: $44
- DMZ and Makgeolli Brewery Tour with Tasting Course: $69
- Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $83
- DMZ and Makgeolli Brewery Tour with Tasting and Brewing Class: $96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Seoul, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. And not only is Beirut much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Seoul is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Beirut would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beirut and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Seoul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seoul than you might in Beirut.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beirut Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beirut or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Beirut. When comparing the sizes of Beirut and Seoul, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Beirut or Seoul?
Seoul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Beirut experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Beirut or Seoul in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Beirut as well as Seoul. Beirut attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many visitors come to Seoul in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Beirut is around the same temperature as Seoul in the summer. The daily temperature in Beirut averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Seoul fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Beirut this time of the year. In the summer, Beirut often gets more sunshine than Seoul. Beirut gets 369 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 121 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Seoul. Beirut usually gets less rain in July than Seoul. Beirut gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBeirut 27°C (81°F)Seoul 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Seoul in the Autumn?
Both Seoul and Beirut are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Beirut throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Seoul for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene during these months.
In the autumn, Beirut is much warmer than Seoul. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Beirut in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Seoul averages at about 15°C (59°F).
It's quite sunny in Seoul. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beirut. Beirut usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during autumn. Beirut gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 204 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Beirut usually receives more rain than Seoul. Beirut gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBeirut 25°C (77°F)Seoul 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Seoul in the Winter?
Both Seoul and Beirut during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Beirut because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Seoul because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Seoul can be very cold. In January, Beirut is generally much warmer than Seoul. Daily temperatures in Beirut average around 13°C (55°F), and Seoul fluctuates around -3°C (27°F).
In the winter, Beirut often gets less sunshine than Seoul. Beirut gets 149 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 163 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Beirut. Beirut usually gets more rain in January than Seoul. Beirut gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBeirut 13°C (55°F)Seoul -3°C (27°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Seoul in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Beirut and Seoul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Beirut year-round. Furthermore, the activities around the city are the main draw to Seoul this time of year.
Beirut is a little warmer than Seoul in the spring. The daily temperature in Beirut averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and Seoul fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Seoul this time of the year. In Beirut, it's very sunny this time of the year. Beirut usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during spring. Beirut gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Beirut usually receives less rain than Seoul. Beirut gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBeirut 17°C (63°F)Seoul 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Seoul and Beirut
| Beirut | Seoul | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 13°C (55°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Mar | 15°C (59°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| May | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 0°C (33°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.