Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Doha or Seoul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Seoul can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Seoul?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
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 dayDoha $200Seoul $107
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $107. 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 Doha and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Seoul $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Seoul $108
Compare Hotels in Doha and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Doha 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: Doha Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Seoul $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - Doha city: $14
- Shared Arrival Transfer - Doha City: $14
- Shared Departure Transfer from Doha: $14
- Shared Departure Transfer in West Bay : $20
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - West bay: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer in West Bay: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer - Pearl Qatar: $27
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - Pearl Qatar: $27
- Easy Airport Transfers (Airport to Hotel): $30
- Airport Transfer-Hamad International Airport, Doha-Qatar: $34
- Airport Transfer (To and From Doha City): $35
- Private Arrival Transfer - Doha: $50
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$3.62
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Short Taxi Ride$5.07
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Metro Ride$0.98
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- Airport Private Transfer : Seoul Hotel to Incheon International Airport (ICN): $78
- Airport Private Transfer: Incheon Airport ⇔ Seoul Hotel (More member, Less cost): $78
- Everland Transfer + Admission ticket with Meal Coupon: $75
- From Everland Admission Ticket with Transfer: $75
- From Half-Day MBC Dae Jang Geum Park Transfer: $55
- Incheon Airport Private Transfer between Seoul City: $98
- Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport <-> Seoul (1-5 people): $101
- Private Airport Transfer : Gimpo airport to/from Seoul (1~7pax): $95
- Private Airport Transfer : Incheon airport to/from Seoul(~7 pax): $99
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-5 pax): $80
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Gimpo Airport (1-12 pax): $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Doha 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 dayDoha $61Seoul $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
- Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
- BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
- Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
- Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
- Full Day Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner: $234
- From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $299
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.34
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Waffle$0.72
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Dippin' Dots$1.45
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Chicken Fried Rice$3.98
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Chicken Stick$1.45
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.38
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Lunch Buffet$4.34
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Donut$0.72
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Mushroom Burger$3.76
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.39
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Udon & Sushi$5.07
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Fresh Burger$3.48
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.26
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.62
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Fried Rice$3.98
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Vietnamese Dinner$6.88
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$6.88
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Donut$1.81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace : Tour, dinner and coffee: $36
- Seoul Mangwon Market Social Night Food Tour: $44
- Grandma's Home Cooking Class at Korean House l Seoul: $45
- Namdaemun Market: the Largest Traditional Market Food Tour: $46
- Namdaemun Market Street Food Tour: $47
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $53
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $54
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $57
- Sunset Walking Tour in Naksan Park with Dinner: $59
- Night Market Food Tour: $70
- Energizing Korean Cooking Class in a Local Home in Seoul: $71
- Night Market Food Tour: $72
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Seoul $26
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Qatar eSIM Data Plan for Tourists: $8.02
- Doha International Airpor: Qatar eSIM Data Plan for Tourists: $8.02
- Doha Tour App Hidden Gems Game and Big Qatar Quiz: $19
- Al Safliya Island Photo Tour: $25
- Al Safliya Island Boat Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of Souq Waqif: $30
- City Highlights Layover Tour: $32
- From Doha Cruise Terminal: Doha City Tour (Private Tour): $35
- Doha Geocaching & City Tour Combo: $35
- Sharing City Tour From MSC Virtuosa/Mein Schiff2: $35
- From Doha Cruise Terminal: Doha Private or Group City Tour: $35
- 4-hour Downtown City Tour: $40
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$5.79
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Movie Ticket$5.79
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Kimchi Museum$2.17
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul: $7.00
- [NEWTRO ART TOUR] Media art museum & walking tour: $8.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Skip the Line: 63 Building Observatory + Aqua Planet 63 Combo Ticket: $11
- Skip the Line: Figure Museum W Ticket (내국인 불가): $11
- Seoul Job Experience Theme Park Ticket for Kid (내국인 불가): $13
- Dongdaemun City Tour Bus(내국인불가): $14
- Seoul : Guided Consultation Tour (Filler, Cosmetic Surgery): $16
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Private Half-Day Tour: $19
- Seoul Myeongdong Catholic Church Historic Private Walking Tour: $20
- Hanbok rental, hanbok experience: $25
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Half Day Tour: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Seoul $12
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 Tour: $10
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $21
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $25
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $42
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - Story of Three Pigs: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Seoul, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Seoul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha 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 Seoul would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Seoul 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Seoul.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha 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.
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.