Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Manama?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Manama 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 Manama 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: Manama or Seoul?
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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Manama Prices
Bahrain PricesSeoul Prices
South Korea Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayManama $189Seoul $135
The average daily cost (per person) in Manama is $189, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $135. 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 Manama and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManama $66Seoul $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManama $132Seoul $114
Compare Hotels in Manama and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Manama 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: Manama Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manama $30Seoul $16
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$3.78
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Short Taxi Ride$5.29
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Metro Ride$1.02
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- Seoul Private Transfer Airport Gangneung Jeonju Gyeongju Busan: $15
- Night Views Tour with Guide and Transfers: $41
- Private One-Way Transfers to/from Incheon Airport(ICN): $49
- From Round-Trip Transfer to Dae Jang Geum Park: $50
- Seoul Gimpo Airport (GMP) Transfer to Seoul/Suwon/Seongnam/Yongin: $60
- Seoul to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
- Gimpo Airport to Seoul /Seoul to GMP Private Transfer (1-7pax): $74
- Seoul to Nami Island, Gangchon Rail Park Full-Day Tour, Transfers: $79
- Private Seoul KTX Station Transfer from/to Seoul Area: $85
- Incheon Airport Transfer service pick up drop off Seoul ~7 Pax: $89
- Gimpo International Airport to or from Seoul Private Transfer: $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Manama or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Manama 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 dayManama $97Seoul $54
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.53
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Waffle$0.76
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Dippin' Dots$1.51
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Chicken Fried Rice$4.16
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Chicken Stick$1.51
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.44
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Lunch Buffet$4.53
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Donut$0.76
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Mushroom Burger$3.93
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.49
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Udon & Sushi$5.29
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Fresh Burger$3.63
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.40
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.78
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Fried Rice$4.16
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Vietnamese Dinner$7.18
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$7.18
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Donut$1.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Guided Street Food Tour at Namdaemun Market: $45
- Seoul Night Run for Local-Favorite Korean BBQ Dinner: $50
- EG Tour Gimpo Peace and Food Tour: $50
- [Wine & K-BBQ] A Perfect Pairing Dinner in Sinchon: $51
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals; Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $56
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $57
- North Korean Cooking Class with Defector: Food & Personal Stories: $60
- Kimchi Dishes Cooking Class with Wine Pairing: $61
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $64
- Incheon Full-Day Sunset and Sea Food Tour: $65
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $67
- Wine & K-BBQ: A Perfect Pairing Dinner: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manama $34Seoul $28
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$6.04
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Movie Ticket$6.04
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Kimchi Museum$2.27
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul: $7.00
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul: $7.00
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Web Guide and Room Escape Tour Ticket: $7.30
- Seoul Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.60
- Seoul Walking Tour 3h30 and 19 audio reviews: $7.74
- Gwanghwamun Tour l 120 Minutes to Understand South Korea: $10
- [Seoul] Football Faentasium Admission Ticket (내국인 불가): $10
- Bukchon Hanok Village Seoul Walking Tour with Audioguide: $11
- Seoul KidZania Job Experience Theme Park Ticket: $12
- Changdeokgung Hanbok Experience at hanboknam: $14
- Gyeongbokgung Hanbok Experience at hanboknam: $14
- bukchon Hanbok Experience at hanboknam: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManama $11Seoul $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Discover Makgeolli: Inside Seoul's Hidden Urban Brewery: $11
- The Seoul Pub Crawl Official: $22
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
- LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl and Drag Show with Local Drag Queen: $28
- Rice Wine Tasting with Sommelier - Finest Makgeolli (& Soju): $46
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $48
- Soju Tasting at Distillery: $51
- Premium Pub Crawl with Open Bottles: $57
- Itaewon Premium Pub Crawl with VIP Bottle Service: $58
- Craft Makgeolli Brewery Tour & Tasting Experience: $67
- Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $78
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manama and Seoul, we can see that Manama is more expensive. And not only is Seoul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manama 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 Manama would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manama 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 Manama Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manama or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Manama. When comparing the sizes of Manama 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.