Korea Travel Essentials: Money, Phone, Budget and Stays (2026)
How to pay, change money, get a tax refund, stay connected, plan a budget and choose where to stay in Korea, with official sources checked in October 2026.
Cash, Cards and Mobile Payments in Korea (2026)Where foreign cards work in Korea, when you still need cash, how to use Global ATMs, why to pay in won, and which mobile wallets work (October 2026).
Currency Exchange in Korea: Where and How to Change Money (2026)Where to change money in Korea, how to compare rates, what to bring, limits at banks, booths and kiosks, and how to change leftover won back.
WOWPASS and Prepaid Travel Cards in Korea: How They Work (2026)How WOWPASS works, what it costs, how to load it and top up T-money, how to get leftover money back, and how it compares with other travel cards.Step guide
Korea Tax Refund for Tourists: Step by Step (2026)The ₩15,000 minimum, instant refund limits, downtown booths and the Incheon Airport kiosk and customs steps for getting VAT back as a visitor in Korea.Step guide
eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket Wi-Fi in Korea: How to Choose (2026)Compare data-only eSIMs, SIMs with a Korean 010 number, pocket Wi-Fi and roaming. Official carrier prices, passport rules and airport counters, checked October 2026.Step guide
Useful Apps for Visiting Korea: What to Install (2026)The apps that matter in Korea, from translation, maps and taxis to trains, food delivery and safety alerts, plus which ones need a Korean phone number.
Korea Travel Budget: Daily Costs in Seoul, Busan and Jeju (2026)Daily cost ranges for transit, meals, sights and hotels in Seoul, Busan and Jeju, built from official fares and price surveys, each with its date.
Where to Stay in Seoul and Busan: Areas and Room Types (2026)Choose a Seoul or Busan base by subway line and airport link, then pick a hotel, guesthouse, motel or hanok stay and check that it is registered.
This hub covers the practical side of a Korea trip: paying, changing money, prepaid travel cards, tax refunds, mobile data, apps, daily costs and where to stay. Each guide below lists its official sources and the date we last checked them.
The three tasks that matter most
1. Sort out how you will pay
Cards work in most shops, restaurants and taxis. Transit-card top-ups need won in cash, and some small vendors may not take foreign cards. Decide what mix of card, cash and prepaid card you will use before you fly.
2. Get connected before you need a map
You will want data from the moment you land, for maps, translation and messages. Compare an eSIM, a physical SIM, pocket Wi-Fi and roaming, and check which apps need a Korean phone number.
3. Get your VAT back
Shops that display a tax-free or tax-refund sign can refund part of the 10% VAT to foreign visitors. Some refunds happen at the till; others need a kiosk or customs at the airport, before you check in your bag.
Plan the money side
- Korea travel budget: daily cost ranges for Seoul, Busan and Jeju by travel style, with the date each figure was checked.
- Budget calculator: enter your days, city and style to get a total.
Choose your base
- Where to stay in Seoul and Busan: areas by subway line and airport link, plus what to expect from hotels, motels, guesthouses and hanok stays.
Start here
If this is your first trip, work through the guides in this order:
- Budget: set a daily budget.
- Where to stay: book a base near the right line.
- Cash and cards: check your card works abroad and plan some cash.
- Currency exchange or WOWPASS and travel cards: pick one way to get won.
- eSIM, SIM or Wi-Fi: set up data before departure.
- Useful apps: install maps and translation apps at home.
- Tax refund: read it before your first big shopping day.
For getting from the airport and riding the subway, go to the transport hub. For entry rules, go to the entry hub.
Related guides
Cash, Cards and Mobile Payments in Korea (2026)
Where foreign cards work in Korea, when you still need cash, how to use Global ATMs, why to pay in won, and which mobile wallets work (October 2026).
Korea Tax Refund for Tourists: Step by Step (2026)
The ₩15,000 minimum, instant refund limits, downtown booths and the Incheon Airport kiosk and customs steps for getting VAT back as a visitor in Korea.
eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket Wi-Fi in Korea: How to Choose (2026)
Compare data-only eSIMs, SIMs with a Korean 010 number, pocket Wi-Fi and roaming. Official carrier prices, passport rules and airport counters, checked October 2026.
Korea Travel Budget: Daily Costs in Seoul, Busan and Jeju (2026)
Daily cost ranges for transit, meals, sights and hotels in Seoul, Busan and Jeju, built from official fares and price surveys, each with its date.
Where to Stay in Seoul and Busan: Areas and Room Types (2026)
Choose a Seoul or Busan base by subway line and airport link, then pick a hotel, guesthouse, motel or hanok stay and check that it is registered.