Should you visit Seoul or Berlin?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Seoul and Berlin can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital and largest city in Germany. As such, travelers can expect typical European prices for everything from hotels to food to sights and attractions. While it's possible to experience this city on a cheaper budget, don't expect to get much without paying a decent amount.
With a population of about 4.5 million, Berlin is a very international city that is well known for its high level of tolerance, an eclectic nightlife, an artistic vibe and many historical sights. There are museums, palaces and landmarks spread throughout the city. Despite having a significant amount of damage during the last few years of World War II, Berlin has been rebuilt with an interesting diversity of architecture styles. This is particularly true after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Architecture in the city represents many different historical periods ranging from medieval buildings through modern, glass structures.
Which city is cheaper, Berlin or Seoul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Seoul is $101, while the average daily cost in Berlin is $130. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Seoul and Berlin in more detail.
Accommodation
Seoul's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $102. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $51.
The prices for places to stay in Berlin can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
Food
While meal prices in Seoul can vary, the average travelers spends about $28 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Seoul should cost around $11 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Seoul is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
In Berlin travelers spend around $49 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Seoul $28
Berlin $49
Typical Food prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
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Jeonju Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
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Mokpo Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
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Gangneung Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
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Andong Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
-
Yeot-gangjeong Making Cooking Class in Gangnam:
$17
-
Incheon Sunset and Seafood Tour:
$22
-
Night Market Food Tour:
$48
-
Busan Jagalchi Market Tour and Korean Daily Special Dish Cooking Class:
$49
-
Traditional Korean Cooking Class (Kimchi) & market tour with chef Joungy:
$51
-
Korean Full-Course Meal Cooking Class at Local Home with Local Market Experience in Seoul:
$52
-
Private Traditional Korean Cooking Class and Dongdaemun Market Food Tour by Janet's Cooking Studio:
$52
-
Korean Cooking Class with Full-Course Meal & Local Market Tour:
$56
Typical Food prices in Berlin
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Berlin:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Berlin
For Berlin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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English Comedy Ticket including Pizza in Berlin Mitte:
$16
-
English Comedy Showcase Including Pizza in Berlin Mitte:
$25
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour New To Berlin:
$40
-
Dinner Cruise – “This is the CHEF talking”:
$49
-
Berlin Kreuzberg - Food Tour:
$53
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Berlin Mitte - Food Tour:
$53
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Berlin Food Tour:
$55
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Withlocals 10 Tastings: Covid-19 Regulated Private Food Tour:
$57
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History Bites: The Berlin History and Food Tour:
$61
-
Berlin Dinner Cruise.:
$61
-
Fun Dinner and Dancing by Gaiety in Berlin:
$84
-
Vegan Food Tour Experience in Berlin:
$87
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Seoul is $15 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Berlin than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $17 on transportation in Berlin on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Seoul
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
-
Subway Card
$4.27
-
Short Taxi Ride
$5.98
-
Metro Ride
$1.15
-
Seoul City Pass Plus
$8.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
-
Seoul ⇄ Alpensia / Yongpyong Ski Resort Private Van Transfers:
$469
-
Summer Activity in Korea: Water Leisure Tour at Gapyeong with Private Transfer:
$360
-
Incheon Airport / Seoul ⇄ Daemyung Vivaldi Park Ski Resort Private Van Transfers:
$267
-
Incheon Airport Transfer- Private Service between Airport and Seoul (1-13 pax):
$200
-
Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-9 pax):
$125
-
Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Gimpo Airport (1-9 pax):
$125
-
Departure Private Transfer Seoul City to Seoul Airport ICN by Business Minivan:
$123
-
Departure Private Transfer Seoul City to Seoul Airport ICN by Luxury Sedan:
$123
-
[COVID19] Private Incheon Airport(ICN) Transfer for Seoul & Gyeonggi-do:
$121
-
1- Day Private Seoul or Outskirts Tour (Round-trip transfer to your hotel):
$120
-
Private Transfer from Seoul Hotels to Incheon Int'l Airport:
$120
-
Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Incheon Airport (1-9 pax):
$120
Typical Local Transportation prices in Berlin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Berlin:
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Short Trip Metro Ticket
$1.65
-
Bahn Ticket
$3.54
-
Short Taxi Ride
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Berlin
Also for Berlin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer from Berlin City Center to Berlin Tegel Airport:
$24
-
Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) to Berlin - Round-Trip Private Van Transfer:
$27
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Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) to Berlin - Arrival Private Van Transfer:
$27
-
Berlin to Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$27
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Berlin to Schonefeld Airport (SXF):
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Berlin to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER):
$30
-
Transfer from Berlin Tegel Airport to Berlin city (any hotel or address):
$32
-
Berlin Schonefeld Airport (SXF) to Berlin - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$34
-
Private Transfer from Berlin City Center to Schönefeld Airport:
$36
-
Premium Transfer from Berlin Tegel Airport to Accommodation in Berlin:
$37
-
Premium Transfer Accommodation in Berlin to Berlin Tegel Airport:
$37
-
Private Business Transfer from Berlin Hotel to Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL):
$41
Is it cheaper to fly into Seoul or Berlin?
Prices for flights to both Berlin and Seoul 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.
Entertainment
Seoul's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $25 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Berlin, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
-
Palace Tickets
$6.83
-
Movie Ticket
$6.83
-
Kimchi Museum
$2.56
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
-
AREX Incheon Airport Express, Lotte World Pass and Running Man Thematic Experience Center Combo Package:
$17
-
Busan Skywalk, Gamcheon Culture Village, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Day Tour:
$37
-
Cheese Smile Studio Self Photoshoot Experience in Bukchon:
$41
-
GOT7 Ahgase Tour in Seoul:
$59
-
Han River Sevit Island Yacht Experience (Pets allowed):
$16
-
Hanbok Experience (Hanboknam Gyeongbokgung Store) with Korean Hairstyling:
$6.95
-
Instant Ticket! Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5Days:
$96
-
Instant Ticket: Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days:
$96
-
Instant Ticket: Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days:
$93
-
Instant Ticket: Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days:
$96
-
Nami Island, Gangchon Rail Bike, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm, and Alpaca World Day Tour:
$62
-
"Nami Island" & "Petite France" or "Garden of Morning Calm" ※ Private Tour:
$97
Typical Entertainment prices in Berlin
For Berlin, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Berlin
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Berlin.
-
Rude Bastards tour of Berlin:
$1.87
-
Music of Berlin Private Tour: Communist Berlin Exploration Game:
$3.72
-
Berlin Private Tour: Third Reich & the Cold War Exploration Game:
$4.96
-
Classic Sights and Hidden Histories of Berlin's Museum Island Audio Tour:
$5.48
-
Berlin's Centre - Explore the city's modern history with this audio walking tour:
$5.48
-
The Dönerkebab: Discover how it changed Germany on an audio walking tour:
$5.48
-
Witches, Riots and the Cold War: A Walk Through Wedding Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
-
In and Around Alexanderplatz Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
-
Ku'damm Couture and Currywurst Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
-
Into the Heart of Berlin Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
-
Take the U Train: The Story of Berlin's Oldest Elevated Railway Line Audio Tour:
$6.56
-
West Kreuzberg: Templars, Bunkers and Prussian Glory Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$6.88
Alcohol
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Seoul per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Berlin, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $15.
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Absolute Busan Pub Crawl Experience in Seomyeon and Haeundae:
$11
-
Absolute Seoul Pub Crawl Experience in Hongdae and Itaewon:
$19
-
Seoul Pub Crawl and Party with Free Shots:
$24
-
3-Hour Small Group Korean Pub Crawl + Food Tasting in Hongdae:
$86
Typical Alcohol prices in Berlin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Berlin from other travelers:
Sample the Local Flavors in Berlin
Also in Berlin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Berlin Pub Crawl And Night Life Tour:
$15
-
#1 Berlin Pub Crawl:
$25
-
Sean's Wine Tasting Events:
$66
-
Welcome to Berlin tour! Sightseeing, souvenirs and visit of a German brewery:
$236
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Seoul and Berlin, we can see that Berlin is more expensive. And not only is Seoul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Seoul is in Asia and Berlin is in Europe, 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 Berlin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Berlin than you might in Seoul.
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