Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Mumbai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mumbai or Seoul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mumbai or Seoul, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Mumbai or Seoul?
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
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 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, 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 dayMumbai $69Seoul $107
The average daily cost (per person) in Mumbai is $69, 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 Mumbai and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMumbai $34Seoul $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMumbai $68Seoul $108
Compare Hotels in Mumbai and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Mumbai 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: Mumbai Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mumbai $7.77Seoul $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dharavi Slum Tour in Mumbai with Combo Packages & Transfers: $12
- Mumbai Private Car: Airport to Hotel Transfer: $18
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mumbai APT-HTL (BOM): $20
- Airport to Hotel or Hotel to Airport Transfers: $24
- Private Transfer to/from Mumbai Airport: $24
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mumbai HTL-APT (BOM): $27
- Private Transfer From/To Mumbai Chhatrapati International Airport: $27
- Private Hotel Transfers to/from Mumbai Airport: $30
- Private Hotel Transfers to/from Airport: $36
- Private Transfer from Mumbai to Chatrapati Shivaji (BOM) Airport: $39
- Private Transfer from Chatrapati Shivaji (BOM) Airport to Mumbai: $39
- Dharavi Tour Including Car Transfer: $42
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:
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Incheon Airport 1-12 pax: $204
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Gimpo Airport (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport <-> Seoul (1-5 people): $101
- Private Transfer l Airport to/from Seoul: $100
- Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport: $99
- Private Airport Transfer : Incheon airport to/from Seoul(~7 pax): $99
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Incheon Airport (1-5 pax): $98
- Incheon Airport Private Transfer between Seoul City: $98
- Private Airport Transfer : Gimpo airport to/from Seoul (1~7pax): $95
- Seoul Airport: Private Departure Transfer from Seoul City Center: $87
- Seoul Incheon International Airport to from Incheon Private Transfer: $85
Is it cheaper to fly into Mumbai or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Mumbai 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 dayMumbai $26Seoul $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hidden Gems and Street Food Tour: $15
- Discover Mumbai's street & beach with food tour: $17
- Mumbai Food Tour: $20
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Old Bombay Bazaar and Food Tour with local Guide: $23
- Mumbai Food Tour: $25
- Street Food Tour - Eat like a Local with sunset view: $26
- Old Bombay Bazaar and Food Tour with local Guide: $27
- Guided Food Tour Through the Vibrant Markets of Old Bombay: $28
- Street Food Tour: $32
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $33
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Sun Set View: $38
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.Mumbai $2.66Seoul $26
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- Audio Guided Walking Tour on HopOn India App – From Gateway to Fountain, Mumbai: $5.32
- Highlights Bus Full-Day Tour in Hindi: $5.40
- Mumbai's Historical Architecture: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.40
- Dharavi Slum Tour with Local guide: $6.00
- Audio Guided Tour of Matunga & Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai: $6.14
- Malabar District, Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Mumbai Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.72
- Mumbai (Malabar District) Self-Guided Tour: $6.72
- Dharavi Slum Tour: $8.63
- Dharavi Slum Tour: $8.99
- Inside Dharavi: Unveiling Mumbai's Slum Culture Tour: $9.11
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:
- Full Day Tour Jeonju Hanok Village, Wansan Park and Gakwonsa: $72
- Private Tour Nami Island with Petite France 'and/or' The Garden of Morning Calm: $98
- (Private tour) Nami Island + Railbike + Garden of morning calm: $220
- 2-Hour Makgeolli Tasting Experience in Seoul: $37
- 2-Hour Private Kayaking and Paddleboarding Experience in Hanriver: $30
- 3 Hour Walking Tour in Songpa Seoul: $49
- 3-Hour Self-guided Sokcho Tour with Private Transportation: $33
- 365-day DMZ Special Tour including Monday & National Holiday: $55
- ARMY must visit BTS tour in Seoul: $55
- Activity - Mt. Bukhan Hiking Guided Tour: $150
- Afternoon Half Day Seoul City Tour, visit Queen's dorm: $67
- All in One Full Day Tour 2 (Palace & Korean Folk Village): $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMumbai $3.69Seoul $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- Mumbai Private Bar Crawl with City Night Tour: $124
- Nashik: Private Full-Day Wine Tour with Tastings From Mumbai: $128
- Full-Day Private Wine Tour at Sula Vineyards from Mumbai: $152
- Wine Tasting Tour Sula Vineyards Nashik - (Day excursion from Mumbai): $163
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 Mumbai and Seoul, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. And not only is Mumbai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mumbai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mumbai 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 Mumbai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mumbai Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mumbai or Seoul?
Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Seoul. When comparing the sizes of Mumbai 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 Mumbai or Seoul?
Seoul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Mumbai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Mumbai or Seoul in the Summer?
Both Seoul and Mumbai during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mumbai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Seoul because of the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Mumbai is around the same temperature as Seoul. Typically, the summer temperatures in Mumbai in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Seoul averages at about 26°C (78°F).
In the summer, Mumbai often gets less sunshine than Seoul. Mumbai gets 73 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 121 hours of full sun.
Seoul gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Mumbai. Mumbai usually gets more rain in July than Seoul. Mumbai gets 640 mm (25.2 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 JulyMumbai 28°C (82°F)Seoul 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Seoul in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Mumbai and Seoul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mumbai year-round. Furthermore, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene are the main draw to Seoul this time of year.
In October, Mumbai is generally much warmer than Seoul. Daily temperatures in Mumbai average around 29°C (84°F), and Seoul fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Seoul this time of the year. In Mumbai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mumbai usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during autumn. Mumbai gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 204 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Mumbai usually receives more rain than Seoul. Mumbai gets 90 mm (3.5 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 OctoberMumbai 29°C (84°F)Seoul 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Seoul in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Mumbai as well as Seoul. Mumbai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many travelers come to Seoul for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Seoul. Mumbai is much warmer than Seoul in the winter. The daily temperature in Mumbai averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Seoul fluctuates around -3°C (27°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mumbai this time of the year. In the winter, Mumbai often gets more sunshine than Seoul. Mumbai gets 270 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 163 hours of full sun.
Mumbai usually gets less rain in January than Seoul. Mumbai gets 10 mm (0.4 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 JanuaryMumbai 24°C (75°F)Seoul -3°C (27°F)
Should I visit Mumbai or Seoul in the Spring?
Both Seoul and Mumbai are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mumbai throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Seoul in the spring for the activities around the city.
In the spring, Mumbai is much warmer than Seoul. Typically, the spring temperatures in Mumbai in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Seoul averages at about 13°C (55°F).
It's quite sunny in Seoul. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mumbai. Mumbai usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during spring. Mumbai gets 284 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Mumbai usually receives less rain than Seoul. Mumbai gets 10 mm (0.4 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 AprilMumbai 29°C (84°F)Seoul 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Seoul and Mumbai
| Mumbai | Seoul | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| May | 30°C (86°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 560 mm (22 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 640 mm (25.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 520 mm (20.5 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 320 mm (12.6 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 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.