Korea on a Budget: 5D4N Itinerary

We just got back from Korea, and I’m already thinking of going back in winter! In the meantime, let me share with you a suggested 5D4N itinerary to hopefully help you enjoy your trip to Korea even on a budget.

While I didn’t expect Korea to be as cheap as Taiwan, it is also not as expensive as I expected it to be. With proper planning and research, we were able to get the most out of our trip. In fact, I spent less than Php20,000.00, and that’s not even a super tipid trip!

Here’s a suggested 5D4N itinerary and a breakdown of our expenses per head:

DAY 0

• AREX from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station (43 minutes) – KRW8,000.00/PHP360.00
• Seoul Station to Myeong-dong (single journey ticket) – KRW1,350.00/PHP60.75
• T-money (reloadable) – KRW2,500.00/PHP112.50
• T-money load – KRW10,000.00/PHP450.00 (Double this amount if commuting to Namsan, Everland & Nami Island)
• 5* nights at K-Guesthouse Myeongdong 3 w/ breakfast – KRW140,175.00/PHP6,307.88 (Price quoted is per head based on twin sharing)

DAY 1

• Gwanghamun Square (Statue of King Sejong)
• Gyeongbokgung (closed on Tuesdays) – KRW3,000.00/PHP135.00
• Bukchon Hanok Village
• Insadong
• Cheonggyecheon Stream
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park for LED roses

DAY 2

• Myeong-dong Cathedral
• Changdeokgung Palace (closed on Mondays) – KRW3,000.00/PHP135.00
• Changdeokgung Palace Secret Garden (Huwon Tour) – KRW5,000.00/PHP225.00 (You can reserve the Huwon Tour from their website or you can just visit the palace and not do the Huwon Tour)
• RT Namsan Tower cable car from Myeong-dong – KRW8,500.00/PHP382.50 (There’s a free shuttle bus at Myeong-dong Exit 3 that will take you to the cable car platform)
• Namsan Tower Observatory – KRW10,000.00/PHP450.00 (You can opt not to go up the observatory )

Klook.com

DAY 3

• Nami Island & Petite France from Klook – KRW67,000.00/PHP3,015.00 (Includes RT transpo via private car, entrance fees & lunch)
• Lotte Mart/Myeong-dong shopping/Namdaemun Market

DAY 4

• Everland shuttle bus RT (Myeong-dong pick-up/drop-off) – KRW12,000.00/PHP540.00 (Booked with Daesug Tour)
• Everland Resort – KRW35,000.00/PHP1,575.00 (We saved almost Php800/head by buying our tickets from Klook!)

DAY 5

• Free Hanbok at Seoul Global Cultural Center
• Yeouido Hangang Park (I Seoul U sign)
• Trickeye Museum/Ice Museum Hongdae – KRW12,000.00/PHP540.00
• Ehwa Women’s University
• Airport Limousine Bus – KRW15,000.00/PHP675.00 (We took the airport bus because we didn’t want to go up and down the train stations with our heavy luggage)

Food expense: KRW70,125.00/PHP3,155.63

TOTAL: KRW402,650.00/PHP18,119.25

*I booked 5 nights because our flight arrived at night.

BUDGET TIPS:

• If you’re not in a hurry to get to Seoul Station from Incheon International Airport, you can take the all-stop train (blue) for only KRW4,250.00 instead of the express train (orange) for KRW8,000.00. You can also check the link on the table above to see discounted ticket.
• If you’re bringing USD, just change enough Won at the airport to get to your accommodation. When we arrived (September 15, 2017), the exchange rate at the airport was USD1 = KRW1,085.00. In Myeong-dong, we found the best exchange rates at the stall directly in front of the Chinese Embassy. Their rates were USD1 = KRW1,131.00 (September 16) and USD1 = KRW1,134.00 (September 19).
• If traveling with a child (below 6 years old) and/or senior citizen (65 and older), present their passports at ticket counters to avail discounts or free admission.
  • Free admission to palaces (worth KRW3,000.00)
  • KRW3,000.00 discount at Namsan Cable Car
• You can try on a hanbok free of charge (just for photo op, but not wear them to roam around palaces) in some places like Seoul Global Cultural Center, K-Style Hub, and at the airport.
• Register at Visit Korea website to get access to seasonal discount coupons (Home > Shopping > Discount Coupons).
• I traveled with senior citizens, so we booked a private tour to Petite France and Nami Island from Klook and availed a round trip shuttle service to Everland. If you’re traveling solo or on a really tight budget, you can commute. Obviously, the travel time is longer and will take several transfers from one mode of transport to another.
• You can go to Namsan Tower by bus instead of taking the cable car for only KRW1,200 (cash)/KRW1,100 (transpo card) per way.
• Being a touristy area, street food in Myeong-dong is expensive, and in my opinion, overrated. For example, we spent KRW14,000.00 for a cup of ‘tempura’, Korean fried chicken, and 2 pieces of egg bun while a cheeseburger set and Wagyu (Wagyu!) burger set from Lotteria at the airport costs KRW15,600.00!
• Download the Subway Korea app to help you navigate Seoul’s extensive rail network. This is particularly helpful if you plan on commuting to Nami Island and Everland. I also use MAPS.ME to guide me when navigating on foot.

If you have other budget tips for traveling to Korea, please share them in the comments section below.

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