Backpacking Seoul (The Definite Budget Guide)

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Find your Perfect Hostel in Seoul

Seoul is the only place where you can sip latte foam shaped like BTS hair and, five minutes later, hike a mountain inside city limits.

I’ve backpacked this maze a lot of times (and now I live here), each trip swapping more cash for food and cute cafés than I planned.

Consider this your backpacking Seoul guide—my cheat sheet to cheap beds, spicy bites, and subway hacks so smooth you’ll feel like a local.

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Seoul

Best for Hostel Newbies

Original Backpackers9.8

from ₩ 22,767 | More Details

Best for Female Solo Traveler

Philstay Ehwa Boutique ...8.8

from ₩ 16,377 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

Kiwa Hostel9.6

from ₩ 24,170 | More Details

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Budget & Estimated Daily Costs in Seoul

Seoul can be kind to broke dreamers if you plan. Aim for €55–€70 per day, and you’ll score a dorm pod, three tasty meals, T-money rides, and a tiny budget for spontaneity (think arcade tokens).

• €20–€28 = dorm bunk with USB ports, curtain, locker.
• €18–€25 = street food breakfast, market lunch, BBQ dinner.
• €4 = unlimited subway/bus hops when you transfer smart.
• €0–€8 = palace ticket, art show, or jjimjilbang floor nap.

Add €25 if rooftop craft beers or club covers whisper your name. Strip €10 if you cook ramen in the hostel kitchen and treat soju like perfume—just take a whiff.

Typical Daily Expenses in Seoul

• Accommodation:€18–€28 (shoulder season dorm).
• Food total:€22.
  •Breakfast:€4—triangle kimbap + convenience-store Americano.
  •Lunch:€8—Gwangjang knife-cut noodle bowl.
  •Dinner:€10—self-service BBQ with refillable sides.
• Transport:€4 (subway, bus, free transfers).
• Attractions:€3 average—palaces free in hanbok, museums under €6.
• Extras:€8—arcade claw machine, peach soju, or cute socks you’ll never wear at home.

Counting coins? €60/day keeps you comfy. Want fancy lattes and skyline cocktails? Budget €95.

Money-Saving Tips

• Top up T-money with ₩20,000 chunks—saves small reload fees.
• Wear a hanbok for zero-cost palace access and unlimited selfies.
• Lunch menus (jeongsik) drop prices 30 % before 2 p.m.
• Refill bottles at subway restrooms; Seoul tap water is safe and cold.
• Pick up a local SIM at the airport—city Wi-Fi is good but hiccups underground.
• Skip ATM fees: withdraw once at a “Global” machine and pay cash for small eats.
• Split BBQ sets with hostel mates—bigger platter, smaller bill.
• Hostel freebie shelves often hide leftover shampoos and transit cards—dig politely.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Seoul

1. Seoulite Inn Myeongdong Formerly - Step Inn Myeongdong 2 - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
2. Wasabi House
3. Grape Garden House - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
4. Stepinn Myeongdong 1 - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
5. Urban Art Stay - best for Digital Nomads, Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller, Youth Hostel

Seoulite Inn Myeongdong Formerly - Step Inn Myeongdong 2

8.0

55, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu more

from

$39.99

Wasabi House

8.0

"…Our newly opened guesthouse, opened in July 2025, is perfect for beauty lovers, solo travelers, more

from

$9.24

Grape Garden House

8.0

Mapo District

"Clean and affordable, helpful staff - Very clean, bathroom located within dorm room. Helpful staff more

Stepinn Myeongdong 1

8.1

"…(Department store, duty free shop, lots of garment and cosmetic brand shops.) Youth, Fashion more

from

$40.15

Urban Art Stay

8.1

"…It is also an ideal place to explore Seoul by walking along the Cheonggyecheon Stream, which is more

from

$7.66

Getting Around Seoul on a Budget

• Subway:Color-coded, English signs, €1.10 per ride with T-money.
• Bus:Same card, free transfer within 30 minutes. Front door tap on, back door tap off.
• Seoul Bike (Ddareungi):€2 per day. Scan QR, pedal the riverside, feel superior.
• Late-Night Plan B:Last trains around 00:30. Miss them? 24-hour saunas cost less than taxis and come with hot pools.
• Apps:KakaoMap for navigation; Google sulks here. KakaoT for legit taxis—avoid meter shock.
• Walk:Many neighborhoods cluster sights; Insadong to Gyeongbokgung is a coffee-cup distance.

Best Free & Budget-Friendly Attractions

Free things to do

• Cheonggyecheon stream walk after dark—LED art + soft water sounds.
• Guard-changing show at Gyeongbokgung (10 a.m., 2 p.m.).
• Hongdae street dance battles on weekends.
• Inwangsan ridge hike for sunrise city views.
• Bukchon alley wandering—respect quiet signs, enjoy cat cameos.

Low-cost attractions

• Leeum Museum: €8 student ticket = ancient pottery + video art.
• N Seoul Tower cable car: €5 one way; hike down for free pine-scent therapy.
• Jjimjilbang evening soak: €10 includes sauna, nap room, and grilled-egg snack.

Food & Drinks on a Budget

• Markets:Gwangjang for €2 gimbap rolls, €4 mung-bean pancakes.
• Street Stalls:Tteokbokki cups under €3; ask for “ban-ban” half-spicy if you cry easily.
• Solo BBQ:Spots with “혼밥 환영” sign love lone grillers—sets at €10.
• Café Hopping:Yeonnam-dong offers refill ice water and sockets for digital nomads.
• Cheap Drinks:Convenience-store patio culture: €2 grapefruit soju by the Han River.
• Nightlife Hack:Itaewon happy-hour cocktails €4 before 8 p.m.—follow the chalkboard arrows.

Experiences for Backpackers

• Kimchi workshop—leave smelling deliciously dangerous.
• Free DMZ lecture at War Memorial; decide if paid tour is worth your won.
• Language-exchange game night in Gangnam cafés.
• Rooftop K-pop dance sessions run by many hostels—zero judgment, maximum cardio.
• Midnight bike ride along the Han with rental lights blinking like tiny UFOs.

Additional Tips & Final Thoughts

• Best Time:Spring cherry buds or crisp fall leaves—lower dorm rates, breathable air.
• Book Ahead:Capsule hostels and DMZ tours sell out; reserve a week early.
• Avoid Tourist Traps:Skip cosmetic hawkers pushing “limited” snail cream—buy at chain stores for less.
• Safety First:Low crime, but keep bag zips forward in club queues; verify taxi plate matches app.
• Cultural Respect:Give/receive money with both hands, hush on subways, shoes off in hostel rooms.

Backpacking Seoul is like riding a neon wave flavored with chili and pop music. Keep your T-money topped, your spice tolerance loose, and your schedule flexible. The city will handle the rest.

Backpacking Seoul? Here's What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I've been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I'm passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

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About the author: Nour De Wilde Salhab

A Lebanese-Congolese-French-Belgian girl as likely to be found climbing a volcano in Indonesia or reading a sci-fi book by the sea in the South of France. Always on the hunt for remarkable experiences. My two favorites so far: volunteering in emergency medical services in Lebanon and solo backpacking around the world. Life is enjoyable in all its facets, from its healthy extremes to its mundane slows.