Should you visit Seoul or Florence?
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 Florence 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.
Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most well known cities in Italy for its art and cultural scenes. The city is rooted in history and you can see this in the architecture, statues, gardens, and art that are everywhere around town. This city truly is a living museum. You should allow yourself at least a couple of days to explore Florence and if you can afford more, it is well worth the time. In particular, if art history is your passion then you will need a week or more to satisfy your interest as the museums and architecturally impressive buildings throughout the city are endless.
Which city is cheaper, Florence 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 Florence is $141. 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 Florence 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 Florence can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $82, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $164.
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 Florence travelers spend around $30 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
Florence $30
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.
-
Jeonju Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
-
Mokpo Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
-
Gangneung Virtual Tour and Online Cooking Class with Kimchi Chef:
$13
-
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 Florence
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Florence:
-
Panini Sandwich
$7.68
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)
$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florence
For Florence, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Italian Fresh Pasta Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Virtual Cooking Class: Bruschetta & Tiramisù:
$40
-
Illuminated Florence Tour for Kids with Gelato & Pizza:
$45
-
Street Food Tour:
$48
-
Vegetarian pasta cooking class and dinner in Florence:
$54
-
Pizza & Gelato Preparation Class in Florence:
$60
-
2-Hour Flavorful Food Tour:
$61
-
Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence:
$62
-
Florence Private Food Tour:
$63
-
Pizza and Ice Cream Cooking Course in Florence:
$67
-
Cooking Lesson Traditional Italian Pasta:
$67
-
Chianti and Siena Day Tour with Tuscan Winery Dinner:
$72
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 Florence than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $21 on transportation in Florence 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 Florence
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Florence:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florence
Also for Florence, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Florence Airport Transfer: Shared Round-Trip:
$11
-
Florence Hotel to Airport: Shared Departure Transfer (max 8 people):
$21
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Florence Hotels to Florence Airport:
$26
-
Bus Transfer from Florence to Rome Fiumicino Airport:
$30
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Peretola Airport (FLR) to Florence City Center:
$30
-
Private Departure Transfer from Florence City Center to Peretola Airport (FLR):
$30
-
Florence 2-Hour Walking Tour with Transfers from Lucca:
$30
-
Private Departure Transfer: Florence Train Station:
$33
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Florence City to Amerigo Vespucci Airport:
$35
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Florence Peretola Airport FLR to Florence City:
$35
-
Private Departure Transfer from Florence City to Florence Peretola Airport FLR:
$35
-
Private Business Transfer from Peretola Airport (FLR) to Florence City Center:
$36
Is it cheaper to fly into Seoul or Florence?
Prices for flights to both Florence 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 Florence, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $28 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 Florence
For Florence, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Admission to Uffizi
$13
-
Phone Booking Fee for Uffizi
$4.73
-
Firenze Card (for Two)
$118
-
Audioguides at Uffizi (for Two)
$24
-
Giotto's Tower Entrance Fee
$7.09
-
Boboli Gardens Entrance Fee
$8.27
Tours and Activities in Florence
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florence.
-
Florentine Animal Tales Tour:
$5.71
-
Da Vinci Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket Entrance:
$7.99
-
Leonardo Da Vinci Museum Entrance Ticket:
$8.71
-
- Leonardo Interactive Museum® Entrance Ticket:
$8.71
-
Entrance Ticket to the Basilica of San Lorenzo:
$9.70
-
Florence Highlights Virtual Guided Tour (Times in EST):
$11
-
Florence Duomo Reserved Time Entrance Tickets:
$14
-
Florence Private Walking Tour:
$16
-
Florence Self-Guided Walking Audiopen Tour:
$17
-
Florence Animal Art Treasure Hunt Family Tour:
$17
-
Welcome to 90-Minute Guided Walking Tour:
$18
-
Guided Walking Tour:
$18
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 Florence, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $17.
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
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 Florence
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florence from other travelers:
-
Glass of Chianti
$4.96
-
Bottle of Wine
$8.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Florence
Also in Florence, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Florence Highlights, Local Food & Chianti Wine Tour:
$40
-
60-Minute Wine Tasting Tour:
$46
-
Barricaia Wine Tasting at the Antinori Winery:
$49
-
2-Hour Tuscan Wine Tasting Workshop:
$55
-
Wine Tasting of Tuscan Wine in Florence:
$57
-
2-Hour Walking Tour and Wine Tasting:
$58
-
Chianti: Authentic Wine Tasting Experience from Florence:
$59
-
Florence Sunset Wine Tour:
$64
-
Sunset Sightseeing Tour and Wine Tasting:
$64
-
3-Hour Private Wine Tour:
$65
-
Chianti Wine Tour: Full-Day from Florence with Tastings:
$68
-
Siena, San Gimignano and Wine Tasting in Chianti:
$72
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Seoul and Florence, we can see that Florence 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 Florence 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 Florence would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florence than you might in Seoul.
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