Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Seoul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 San Jose can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Seoul is $109, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $89. 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 Seoul and San Jose in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Seoul or San Jose? 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Seoul and San Jose, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Seoul is in Asia and San Jose is in Central America, 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Seoul Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Seoul and San Jose, 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.
Seoul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Jose experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both San Jose and Seoul during the summer are popular places to visit. The city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Seoul this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
In July, Seoul is generally around the same temperature as San Jose. Daily temperatures in Seoul average around 26°C (78°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
In the summer, Seoul often gets less sunshine than San Jose. Seoul gets 121 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Jose receives 164 hours of full sun.
San Jose gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Seoul. Seoul usually gets more rain in July than San Jose. Seoul gets 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Seoul and San Jose. Many travelers come to Seoul for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Seoul is much colder than San Jose in the autumn. The daily temperature in Seoul averages around 15°C (59°F) in October, and San Jose fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In Seoul, it's very sunny this time of the year. Seoul usually receives more sunshine than San Jose during autumn. Seoul gets 204 hours of sunny skies, while San Jose receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Jose receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Seoul usually receives less rain than San Jose. Seoul gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Seoul as well as San Jose. Many visitors come to Seoul in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
Seoul can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Seoul is much colder than San Jose. Typically, the winter temperatures in Seoul in January average around -3°C (27°F), and San Jose averages at about 27°C (81°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Jose. In the winter, Seoul often gets less sunshine than San Jose. Seoul gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Jose receives 264 hours of full sun.
Seoul usually gets more rain in January than San Jose. Seoul gets 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both San Jose and Seoul are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Seoul for the activities around the city during these months. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Seoul is generally much colder than San Jose. Daily temperatures in Seoul average around 13°C (55°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
It's quite sunny in San Jose. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Seoul. Seoul usually receives less sunshine than San Jose during spring. Seoul gets 205 hours of sunny skies, while San Jose receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Seoul usually receives more rain than San Jose. Seoul gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Seoul | San Jose | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
Feb | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
May | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
Jul | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
Aug | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
Sep | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
Nov | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
Dec | 0°C (33°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |