Original data
How much does a meal cost in Korea? ₩15,000 per person (2026 data)
Median spend per person across 277 restaurants in 10 cities, recalculated every time this guide is updated.
The median meal in this guide costs ₩15,000 per person. Noodle and rice dishes sit near ₩13,000; barbecue sits near ₩20,000, roughly 1.5 times as much.
Updated 2026-11-12
What is a typical restaurant meal price in Korea?
Across 271 restaurants the median is ₩15,000 per person, the mean is ₩20,832, and the range runs from ₩3,500 to ₩320,000.
How do restaurant prices differ between Korean cities?
| Place | Restaurants | Median per person | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daegu | 2 | ₩26,000 | ₩20,000–₩32,000 |
| Busan | 10 | ₩19,000 | ₩10,000–₩85,000 |
| Seoul | 241 | ₩15,000 | ₩3,500–₩320,000 |
| Jeonju | 7 | ₩11,000 | ₩9,000–₩15,000 |
| Jeju | 7 | ₩11,000 | ₩6,000–₩40,000 |
Which kinds of Korean food cost the most?
| Kind of food | Restaurants | Median per person | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spicy & shareable | 48 | ₩20,000 | ₩3,500–₩320,000 |
| Barbecue | 46 | ₩20,000 | ₩8,000–₩85,000 |
| Katsu | 4 | ₩15,200 | ₩13,000–₩17,000 |
| Rice dishes | 59 | ₩14,000 | ₩5,000–₩230,000 |
| Soups & hot pots | 69 | ₩13,000 | ₩5,000–₩55,000 |
| Noodles | 45 | ₩13,000 | ₩7,000–₩25,000 |
Which part of Seoul is the most expensive to eat in?
| Area of Seoul | Restaurants | Median per person | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seongsu & Konkuk Univ. | 19 | ₩20,000 | ₩9,800–₩40,000 |
| Gangnam | 39 | ₩18,000 | ₩10,000–₩320,000 |
| Itaewon & Yongsan | 19 | ₩17,000 | ₩10,000–₩55,000 |
| Yeouido & Yeongdeungpo | 9 | ₩16,000 | ₩11,000–₩46,000 |
| Rest of Seoul | 6 | ₩15,500 | ₩12,000–₩20,000 |
| Myeongdong & Jung-gu | 31 | ₩14,000 | ₩5,000–₩38,000 |
| Jongno & Insadong | 39 | ₩14,000 | ₩5,000–₩32,000 |
| Hongdae & Mapo | 33 | ₩14,000 | ₩3,500–₩38,000 |
| Jamsil & Songpa | 46 | ₩13,250 | ₩5,000–₩100,000 |
Where can you eat in Korea for ₩10,000 or less?
35 of the restaurants in this guide charge ₩10,000 or less per person.
- Mapo Wonjo Tteokbokki Seoul · ₩3,500
- Sindang Halmoni Sundaeguk Seoul · ₩5,000
- Wonjo Nudeu Chijeu Gimbap (Original Nude Cheese Gimbap) Seoul · ₩5,000
- Jamsil Cheotjip Seoul · ₩5,000
- Oneunjeong Gimbap Jeju · ₩6,000
- Olbareun Gimbap Seoul · ₩6,000
- Bakgane Bindaetteok (Park Family's Mung Bean Pancakes) Seoul · ₩6,000
- Tongkeun Nuine Yukhoe Bindaetteok (Big-Hearted Sister's Beef Tartare & Mung Bean Pancakes) Seoul · ₩6,000
- Jinseong Mandu Seoul · ₩6,500
- Phaedra Seoul · ₩7,000
- Donggyo Guksu Pocha Seoul · ₩7,000
- Jopok Tteokbokki Seoul · ₩8,000
- Hwangso Gojip (Stubborn Ox) Seoul · ₩8,000
- Sincheon Dwaeji Seoul · ₩8,000
- Jeonju Waengi Kongnamul Gukbap Jeonju · ₩9,000
- Sambaekjip Jeonju · ₩9,000
- Ttukbaegijip (Earthen Pot House) Seoul · ₩9,000
- Gonaengji Seoul · ₩9,000
- Junghwa Ilsang Seoul · ₩9,000
- Memiljip (Buckwheat House) Seoul · ₩9,600
- Sonyeo Bangatgan (Girl's Mill) Seoul · ₩9,800
- Haeundae Gaya Milmyeon Busan · ₩10,000
- Gaegeum Milmyeon Busan · ₩10,000
- Veteran Kalguksu Jeonju · ₩10,000
- Jamae Guksu Jeju · ₩10,000
- Jeonju Haejangguk Seoul · ₩10,000
- Neungdong Minari Seoul · ₩10,000
- Yongsan Samgyetang Seoul · ₩10,000
- Cheongwaok Seoul · ₩10,000
- Sugaseong Seoul · ₩10,000
- Saetjip Namwon Chueotang Seoul · ₩10,000
- Cheonggukjang-gwa Boribap Seoul · ₩10,000
- Ilmi Sikdang Seoul · ₩10,000
- Jeongseon Buttumak (Jeongseon Hearth) Seoul · ₩10,000
- Jobaksa Sundaeguk (Dr. Jo's Sundae Soup) Seoul · ₩10,000
Where can you eat in Korea at 3am?
10 of the restaurants in this guide are open 24 hours.
- Haehwaok Seoul
- Saebyeokjip Seoul
- Geumsu Bokguk Busan
- Hannam-dong Gamjatang Seoul
- Ilsung Susan · Noryangjin Fish Market Seoul
- Phaedra Seoul
- Yeongdong Seolleongtang Seoul
- Gamnamujip Gisasikdang Seoul
- Jeongdamok Seoul
- Jeonju Seolleongtang Seoul
How much should I budget for food per day in Korea?
About ₩44,000 per person a day: a cheap breakfast (median ₩9,000 at the places charging ₩10,000 or less), a typical ₩15,000 lunch and a ₩20,000 barbecue dinner. Stick to noodles and soups and it drops to about ₩35,000.
Do you tip at restaurants in Korea?
No. Tipping is not expected at Korean restaurants, and the menu price is what you pay; ordinary restaurants add no service charge. Some hotel restaurants do add one, and it is shown on the bill.
Can I pay by card, and are side dishes free?
Cards, including foreign Visa and Mastercard, are accepted almost everywhere; carry a little cash for old market stalls. Side dishes (banchan) are free and usually refilled when you ask. Barbecue places often require at least two portions.
How these numbers were worked out
Each figure is the median of the typical spend per person recorded for every restaurant in this guide, taken from published menu prices rather than from receipts or surveys. 271 of 277 restaurants have a price on file. Medians are used instead of averages because a handful of barbecue houses would otherwise pull the figure up. Groups with fewer than two restaurants are left out of the tables. The numbers move whenever the guide is updated, and the date above says when.
Using and citing these numbers
These figures are free to quote, publish or build on, including commercially. Please name Korea on a Plate and link to this page. The underlying records are available as a machine-readable file under CC BY 4.0.