Which place is cheaper, Seoul or Tel Aviv?
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 Tel Aviv or Seoul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tel Aviv 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: Tel Aviv or Seoul?
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel and is situated on the Mediterranean coast 60 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It's a rapidly growing city and is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Israel. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo because the city has grown to include the ancient port city of Yafo. If you're looking for an embassy, you are likely to find it in Tel Aviv, despite Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
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 Luxury Tours to Israel, The Best Budget Tours to Israel, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, and The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea.
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Tel Aviv Prices
Israel PricesSeoul Prices
South Korea Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTel Aviv $195Seoul $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Tel Aviv is $195, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $133. 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 Tel Aviv and Seoul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTel Aviv $106Seoul $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTel Aviv $212Seoul $112
Compare Hotels in Tel Aviv and Seoul
Looking for a hotel in Tel Aviv 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: Tel Aviv Hotel Prices and Seoul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tel Aviv $11Seoul $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tel Aviv
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tel Aviv are as follows:
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Local Bus to Central Bus Station$1.93
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Taxi to Airport$49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tel Aviv
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tel Aviv:
- Private Arrival Transfer: From Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv City Center: $48
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv - Arrival Private Transfer: $52
- Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) - Departure Private Transfer: $52
- Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) Private Departure Transfers: $55
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv Hotels - Private Transfer: $55
- Herzliya to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport Private Departure Transfer: $56
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Jerusalem - Arrival Private Transfer: $85
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Jerusalem Hotels - Private Transfer: $85
- Sheikh Hussain Border Private Transfer To Amman or Airport: $90
- Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) - Departure Private Transfer: $110
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv Hotels - Private Transfer: $112
- Private Airport Transfers to/from Hotel: $120
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$3.72
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Short Taxi Ride$5.21
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Metro Ride$1.01
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.44
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- 9-Hour Private DMZ: 3rd Tunnel, Choice of Bridge & Hotel Transfer: $285
- From Round-Trip Transfer to Dae Jang Geum Park: $50
- Gimpo International Airport to or from Seoul Private Transfer: $89
- Incheon Airport (ICN) Transfer to Seoul/Suwon/Seongnam/Yongin: $68
- Incheon Airport transfer directly to Seoul city: $113
- Incheon International Airport (ICN): Private Seoul Transfer: $95
- Premium Seoul Airport Transfer: Affordable & Convenience: $105
- Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport Seoul (1-5 people): $102
- Private Airport Transfer : Incheon to/from Seoul (up to 7 pax): $98
- Private Airport Transfer From Incheon Airport To Seoul(up to 12): $190
- Private Airport Transfer: Hotel in Seoul → Gimpo Airport: $125
- Private Airport Transfer:Seoul City Incheon ⇄ ICN Airport: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Tel Aviv or Seoul?
Prices for flights to both Seoul and Tel Aviv 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 dayTel Aviv $59Seoul $53
Typical Food Prices in Tel Aviv
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tel Aviv:
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Dinner for Two$28
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Dinner for 2 at Vatroshka$159
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Lunch at Segev Sarona$42
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Aroma Iced Coffee$4.59
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Lunch at the airport$39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tel Aviv
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tel Aviv.
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $45
- Tel Aviv Food Tour: The Magic of Carmel Market: $49
- Private Jaffa Flea Market Hapishpeshim Food Tour: $60
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $75
- Levinsky Market Food Tour: $145
- Food Tour of Sarona Market and Azraeli Center: $165
- Christmas Eve Tour Jerusalem and Bethlehem Dinner from Tel Aviv: $180
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.47
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Waffle$0.74
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Dippin' Dots$1.49
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Chicken Fried Rice$4.09
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Chicken Stick$1.49
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.41
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Lunch Buffet$4.47
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Donut$0.74
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Mushroom Burger$3.87
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.46
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Udon & Sushi$5.21
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Fresh Burger$3.57
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.35
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.72
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Fried Rice$4.09
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Vietnamese Dinner$7.07
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$7.07
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Donut$1.86
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
- EG Tour Gimpo Peace and Food Tour: $50
- [Wine & K-BBQ] A Perfect Pairing Dinner in Sinchon: $51
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $57
- Kimchi Dishes Cooking Class with Wine Pairing: $61
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $64
- Incheon Full-Day Sunset and Sea Food Tour: $65
- Namdaemun Market Food Tour: $65
- Wine & K-BBQ: A Perfect Pairing Dinner: $66
- Korean Home Style Cooking Class in Gangnam Seoul: $66
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tel Aviv $28Seoul $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tel Aviv
Here are a few typical costs in Tel Aviv for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Masada tour from Tel Aviv$97
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Etzel museum$4.91
Tours and Activities in Tel Aviv
Here are a few actual costs in Tel Aviv for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 30-minute Sightseeing Cruise of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Skyline: $29
- Historic walking tour of Tel Aviv - Secrets of Sarona - Self-Guided Tour: $30
- Tel Aviv Street Art Tour (Graffiti): $35
- Jaffa Walking Tour: Old Jaffa, Jaffa Port, the Flea Market & More: $35
- Jaffa Walking Tour: Old Jaffa, Jaffa Port & the Flea Market: $39
- Jerusalem Old City Morning Tour: $49
- Jaffa Half-Day Walking Tour: $49
- Carmel Market & Tel Aviv Tour with Tastings: $49
- Tel Aviv Carmel Market & City Walking Tour: $49
- Hatikvah Market Interactive Behind-the-Scenes Tour: $50
- Jaffa Sunset Skyline Walking Tour: $50
- From Neve Tzedek to the UNESCO White City Tour: $50
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$5.96
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Movie Ticket$5.96
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Kimchi Museum$2.23
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- K-Culture Adventure in Seoul Self-Guided Walking Tour: $1.12
- Seoul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul: $7.00
- Seoul Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.10
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Web Guide and Room Escape Tour Ticket: $7.30
- Seoul Walking Tour 3h30 and 19 audio reviews: $7.54
- Ginseng Museum Entry Ticket with Tea Tasting: $9.04
- Youngjaegugakhoe The Concert of Korean Music Prodigies Ticket: $9.30
- Gwanghwamun Tour l 120 Minutes to Understand South Korea: $10
- [Seoul] Football Faentasium Admission Ticket (내국인 불가): $10
- Street Hustle Adventure in Seoul: $11
- Skip the Line: Figure Museum W Ticket (내국인 불가): $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTel Aviv $27Seoul $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Tel Aviv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tel Aviv:
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour with Shots: $27
- Tel Aviv Pub Crawl: $30
- Pub Crawl with 4 Stops and Free Shots: $32
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute: $20
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
- LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl and Drag Show with Local Drag Queen: $28
- 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
- Seoul Chunpoong Brewery: Korea’s Finest Liquor Tour: $80
- From Yeongdong Day Trip with Wine Tasting and Janggu: $91
- Seoul Drinking Games, BBQ & Pub Crawl in Gangnam: $189
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tel Aviv and Seoul, we can see that Tel Aviv is more expensive. And not only is Seoul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tel Aviv is in Middle East and Seoul is in Asia, 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 Tel Aviv would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv Expensive? and Is Seoul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tel Aviv or Seoul?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Tel Aviv. When comparing the sizes of Tel Aviv 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.