Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Taipei?
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 Taipei or Seoul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Seoul. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Taipei or Seoul?
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
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 Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, and The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea.
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Taipei Prices
Taiwan PricesSeoul Prices
South Korea Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $193Seoul $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $193, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $124. 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 Taipei and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $145Seoul $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $290Seoul $104
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Taipei 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: Taipei Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $9.89Seoul $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.01
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Easycard$9.29
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Train$1.08
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Return Bus Transfer: $9.19
- Taiwan Airport ↔ Hotel Luggage Transfer (TPE, TSA, RMQ, KHH, TNN): $20
- Songshan Airport (TSA) Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $23
- TPE Airport: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $40
- Multiple City to Taoyuan Airport with Private Transfer: $41
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Taipei Songshan Airport(TSA)Airport Transfer: $45
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TPE) → Taipei Hotel: $46
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $47
- Taipei Taoyuan International Airport Transfer, Private pick up: $48
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TPE): $48
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$3.47
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Short Taxi Ride$4.85
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Metro Ride$0.94
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Seoul City Pass Plus$6.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport (1-12pax): $164
- Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport: $90
- Private One-Way Transfers to/from Incheon Airport(ICN): $39
- Night Views Tour with Guide and Transfers: $41
- Seoul to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) - Departure Private Transfer: $79
- Seoul to Incheon &Gimpo Airport Transfer 24/7 Departure Service: $90
- Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $158
- Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul - Arrival Private Transfer: $79
- Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul - Arrival Private Transfer: $63
- Seoul Gimpo Airport (GMP) Transfer to Seoul/Suwon/Seongnam/Yongin: $60
- Private transfer from Seoul hotel to Seoul Station and so on: $132
- Private Transfer from Seoul to Incheon Cruise Terminal(12 pax): $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Taipei 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 dayTaipei $27Seoul $49
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$15
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Lunch at The Can$6.81
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.94
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Lunch$1.86
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Dinner$6.19
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Lunch$3.56
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Lunch$4.64
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Louisa coffee$2.94
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Lunch$5.88
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Lunch$3.56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea: $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- Disappearing Flavors of Taiwan Food Tour with 12+ Tasters: $50
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Your First Day Food Tour with Locals & 12+ Tastings: $57
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- Taiwanese Breakfast Cooking Class in Taipei: $79
- Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites: $82
- Traditional Old School Taiwanese Food Tour: $85
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.16
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Waffle$0.69
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Dippin' Dots$1.39
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Chicken Fried Rice$3.81
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Chicken Stick$1.39
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.32
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Lunch Buffet$4.16
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Donut$0.69
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Mushroom Burger$3.60
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.29
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Udon & Sushi$4.85
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Fresh Burger$3.33
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.12
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.47
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Fried Rice$3.81
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Vietnamese Dinner$6.58
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$6.58
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Donut$1.73
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
- [Wine & K-BBQ] A Perfect Pairing Dinner in Sinchon: $51
- Korean Grandma Cooking Class l Gimbap & Kimchi Pancake l Seoul: $52
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $57
- Kimchi Dishes Cooking Class with Wine Pairing: $61
- Korean Home Style Cooking Class in Gangnam Seoul: $62
- Explore Seoul's Flavors on Group Cooking Class Adventure: $63
- Wine & K-BBQ: A Perfect Pairing Dinner: $63
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $64
- Street Food Tour in Jongno, Heart of Seoul: $65
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $17Seoul $25
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Taipei Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.50
- Wulai Scenic Train Ticket Waterfall Railway Experience Taiwan: $5.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Walking Tours in Taipei Dihua, Longshan Temple, Shuanglian Market: $5.00
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan & Sunset Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
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$5.54
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Movie Ticket$5.54
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Kimchi Museum$2.08
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- (Closed) Korea’s White House Walking Tour Blue House: $199
- (Private tour) Nami Island + Railbike + Garden of morning calm: $260
- (Private tour) Seoul highlights; Gangnam and beyond Tour: $300
- (Small Group) Art and Architecture tour of Seoul: $121
- 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best: DMZ Tour from Seoul: $40
- 2D 1N Phoenix Pyeongchang Reseot Stay + Trout Ice-Fishing Festival Tour: $144
- 3-Hour Self-guided Sokcho Tour with Private Transportation: $30
- Afternoon E-bike tour and "Happy Hour" food and drinks: $105
- All Day Private Make your own plan tour to Nami Island and others: $270
- All Inclusive Korean Drinking Culture Experience with Korean BBQ: $99
- Alpaca World Adventure in Nami Island and Garden of Morning Calm: $118
- Alpaca World, Nami Island with optional Railbike Tour from Seoul: $67
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $18Seoul $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Authentic Night Sober-Friendly Pub Crawl: $20
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $150
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 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
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $45
- Rice Wine Tasting with Sommelier - Finest Makgeolli (& Soju): $46
- Soju Tasting at Distillery: $51
- Premium Pub Crawl with Open Bottles: $57
- Craft Makgeolli Brewery Tour & Tasting Experience: $67
- Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $78
- Chunpoong Makgeolli Brewery Tour: $80
- Korean Craft Makgeolli Brewery Tour & Tasting Experience: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Seoul, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Seoul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei 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 Taipei Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 31% larger than the population of Taipei. When comparing the sizes of Taipei 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.