Official prices and steps for visiting, studying and working in Korea

Coming to Korea to travel, study or work? Each page here answers one question — what a thing costs or which steps it takes — using only the official fare table, agency notice or law text, with a link to that source and the date we last checked it.

Where two official pages say different things, we show both and explain the gap instead of picking one silently.

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Getting around Korea20 pages compared in one table Visa and entry15 pages compared in one table Working and studying in Korea at a glance16 pages compared in one table Money and tax in Korea at a glance12 pages compared in one table Living in Korea21 pages compared in one table Sightseeing costs in Seoul at a glance17 pages compared in one table

Getting around Korea

Seoul subway and bus fares, with a transfer calculatorSeoul subway ₩1,550 and bus ₩1,500 by card, from the city's official fare tables. Calculate a trip with transfers and di Seoul Climate Card: pass prices and whether it saves you moneyClimate Card short-term passes cost ₩5,000 (1 day) to ₩20,000 (7 days). See official prices, coverage, how to buy, and a Seoul taxi fares: meter rates, night surcharge and airport fixed faresSeoul sedan taxis start at ₩4,800 for 1.6 km and add ₩100 per 131 m. Official night rates, surcharges, brand taxis, Inch AREX Airport Railroad fares: Incheon Airport to Seoul Station, express or all-stopAREX express train ₩13,000 in 43 minutes, all-stop train ₩4,750 in 59 minutes, from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul KORAIL PASS for foreign visitors: prices, what it covers and a group cost calculatorKORAIL PASS costs ₩131,000 (2 days) to ₩275,000 (5 days) for an adult, half for children. Official rules, covered trains Seoul Ttareungi public bike: day pass prices, overtime fees and how visitors payTtareungi day pass is ₩1,000 for 1 hour, ₩2,000 for 2 hours, ₩3,000 for 3 hours, with ₩200 per 5 minutes overtime. Offic Busan Metro (subway) fares: section 1 and 2, card vs QR ticket, passes and transfersBusan subway adult fare is ₩1,600 in section 1 and ₩1,800 in section 2 by card; QR ticket ₩1,700. Teen and child rates, Express and intercity bus fares in Korea: sample routes, seat classes and how to bookSeoul Gyeongbu to Busan costs ₩29,100 standard, ₩43,300 deluxe and ₩56,200 premium on the official Kobus lookup (after t Jeju Island bus fares: ordinary, express and airport limousine, plus the transfer rulesJeju ordinary bus: ₩1,150 by card, ₩1,200 cash. Express buses ₩2,000 base up to ₩3,000. Airport limousine 600 and 800 ra Airport limousine bus fares from Incheon and Gimpo into Seoul: every route and its fareIncheon Airport limousine buses to Seoul cost ₩16,000, ₩17,000 or ₩18,000 by route (6701 City Hall ₩18,000). Gimpo limou Gyeonggi-do and Incheon city bus fares compared with Seoul: regular, express and M-busGyeonggi regular bus ₩1,650 by card and direct-seat ₩3,200 since 25 Oct 2025; Incheon trunk ₩1,500 and M-bus ₩3,200. Ful Hangang Bus (Han River ferry bus): fares, piers and the August 2026 timetableHangang Bus fares are ₩3,000 adult, ₩1,800 adolescent and ₩1,100 child per one-way trip, cash not accepted. Piers from M Busan taxi fares: base fare, distance and time rates, night surcharge and worked examplesBusan medium taxi: ₩4,800 for the first 2 km, then ₩100 per 132 m; night surcharge 20% to 30% from 23:00 to 04:00. Offic T-money card for visitors: price, where to buy, top-up limit and refund feeThe Tmoney Travel Card costs ₩4,000 (₩6,000 with WOWPASS). Top up ₩1,000 to ₩90,000 at a time, up to a ₩500,000 balance;How much is the subway in Daegu? Flat fare by card or single ticket, and bus transfersDaegu Metro charges a flat ₩1,500 for adults by transit card and ₩1,700 for a one-time ticket on all three lines; teens How much is the subway in Daejeon? Distance zones, card vs ticket fares and bus transfersDaejeon Metro adult fare is ₩1,550 by card for the first 10 km and ₩1,650 beyond; a single ticket is ₩1,700 or ₩1,800. T How much is the subway in Gwangju? Flat fare, transfers, fare-support cards and delay paymentsGwangju Metro charges one flat fare: ₩1,250 for adults by transit card and ₩1,400 for a single-use ticket; teens ₩900 by How much is the Incheon subway? Base fare, distance surcharge and transfers to SeoulIncheon Subway adult fare is ₩1,550 by card for the first 10 km (₩1,650 one-time card), plus ₩100 per 5 km. Teen and chi Expressway tolls in Korea: how they are calculated, Hi-pass and sample tolls from SeoulA regular car pays ₩18,600 from Seoul to Busan on the official toll lookup. The formula is a ₩900 base fee plus ₩44.3 pe Incheon Airport parking fee per day: short-term, long-term and reserved lots, T1 and T2Incheon Airport long-term and reserved parking cost ₩1,000 an hour up to ₩9,000 a day; short-term ₩1,200 for the base 30

Visa and entry

Korea duty-free allowance on arrival: limits for goods, alcohol, tobacco and perfumeKorea Customs Service allows US$800 of goods, plus liquor, 200 cigarettes and perfume on top. One older page says US$600 K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization): fee, validity and application stepsK-ETA costs ₩10,000 plus about 3% card fee, lasts 3 years and takes about 72 hours. Official steps, the 2026 temporary w Korea e-Arrival Card: who must file, when, and what it costsThe Korea online arrival card is free, opens 3 days before arrival and is valid 72 hours. Official checklist of who file Alien registration (residence card) in Korea: who must register, deadline, fee and documentsStay over 90 days and you must register within 90 days of entry. Fee KRW 35,000 under the law, passport, photo and proof Korea immigration fees: visa, extension of stay, status change, re-entry permit and residence cardOfficial fees: extension of stay KRW 60,000, status change KRW 100,000, multiple re-entry KRW 50,000, residence card KRW Bringing a dog or cat into Korea: microchip, rabies antibody test, certificate and quarantineDogs and cats entering Korea need an ISO microchip, a government quarantine certificate and, from 90 days old, a rabies Food, meat, fruit and plants you cannot bring into Korea: what is banned, what to declare, and the finesDeclare all fruit, vegetables, seeds, meat and animal products when you land in Korea. Fresh fruit and rice paddy are ba Korea Working Holiday visa (H-1): which countries qualify, age limits, yearly quotas, documents and feeOfficial 2026/27 table of the 30 Working Holiday partner countries with age limits and quotas, plus the eligibility chec Do I need a visa for Korea? Visa-free countries, how long you can stay, and how it ties to K-ETAKorea's official K-ETA list of 116 nationalities and regions that can enter without a visa, with the stay limit printed Re-entry permit exemption in Korea: who can leave and return within 1 or 2 years without a permitKorean rule: permanent residents (F-5) can re-enter within 2 years of leaving without a re-entry permit; A-1 to F-3 and F-6 marriage visa income requirement: the inviter's minimum income by household size, exemptions and a checkerKorea's marriage-visa income test: the Korean spouse needs at least KRW 25,195,752 a year for 2 people up to KRW 57,090,Can I bring medicine to Korea? Quantity limits, prescriptions and what needs approvalKorean government notices allow personal non-narcotic medicine up to 6 bottles or a three-month supply with proof of per Tuberculosis (TB) test for a Korean visa: which countries, which visas, how long it is validKorean embassy notices require a TB test certificate (chest X-ray within 3 months, embassy-designated hospital) from nat Jeju visa-free entry: who qualifies, how long you can stay and the limitsForeigners can enter Jeju without a visa for tourism or transit unless their nationality is on the Justice Ministry's li Korean naturalisation (citizenship): requirements, residence years, test and feeGeneral naturalisation needs 5 years' continuous domicile and a permanent-residence-capable status; marriage to a Korean

Working and studying in Korea at a glance

Minimum wage in Korea 2026: hourly rate, monthly figure, foreign workers and a calculatorKorea's 2026 minimum wage is ₩10,320 per hour, ₩82,560 per day and ₩2,156,880 per month (209 hours). It covers foreign w TOPIK fees and 2026 test dates: PBT, IBT and Speaking scheduleTOPIK costs KRW 40,000 or 55,000 (PBT), 70,000 or 95,000 (IBT), 80,000 (Speaking). 2026 registration weeks, exam days an Part-time work for international students in Korea (D-2 and D-4): weekly hours by Korean level, permission steps and penaltiesD-2 and D-4 students need immigration permission to work part-time. Official hours table by course and TOPIK level, the Severance pay in Korea: who gets it, the 30-days-per-year formula, the 14-day deadline and a calculator for foreign workersKorean law: severance after 1 year of service, 30 days of average wage per year, paid within 14 days. Average wage defin National Pension contributions for foreign workers in Korea: the 2026 rate, employee and employer split, income floor and ceilingKorea's National Pension: 9.5% in 2026 (4.75% employee, 4.75% employer) on income between KRW 410,000 and KRW 6,590,000,Employment insurance for foreign workers in Korea: which visas are covered, who must apply, and the employee premiumKorea's Employment Insurance for foreigners: coverage by visa (E-9, H-2, D-7 to D-9, F-4, F-5 and work visas), the 1.8% D-10 job-seeker visa in Korea: eligibility, how long you can stay, documents and where the points fitWhat the Korea Visa Portal and the government's Study in Korea site say about D-10-1: who it is for, 6-month grants up t Global Korea Scholarship (GKS): what it covers, how long it lasts and who can applyGKS covers airfare, language training, tuition and an academic allowance, with 1 year of Korean plus the degree. Eligibi EPS-TOPIK, the Korean test for E-9 workers: fee, format, schedule and who can take itEPS-TOPIK is a 40-question, 50-minute Korean test for foreign job seekers in Korea's Employment Permit System. Fee 28 US Weekly holiday allowance in Korea: who is entitled, how much, and a calculator from your hourly wageKorean law gives a paid day off each week to workers with full attendance and 15+ scheduled hours a week. The day's pay Overtime, night and holiday work pay in Korea: the 50% and 100% premiums, the 52-hour week and a calculatorKorean law: 40 hours a week, up to 12 hours of overtime, and an extra 50% for overtime, night and holiday work (100% bey Annual paid leave in Korea: how many days you get by years of service, the 80% rule and what happens to unused daysKorean law gives 15 paid days after a year with 80% attendance, 1 day a month in the first year, +1 day every 2 years fr Industrial accident insurance in Korea: who is covered, employer pays, the 70% benefit and how foreign workers claimKorea's workers' compensation covers every business with workers, no nationality condition. Employer pays the premium. T Maternity leave and parental leave pay in Korea: 90 days, 60 paid days, 1 year of leave and the monthly benefit capKorean law for foreign workers: 90 days maternity leave, first 60 paid, parental leave up to 1 year, Employment Insuranc Dismissal notice in Korea: 30 days' notice or 30 days' pay in lieu, the written-notice rule, exceptions and a calculatorLabor Standards Act Articles 23, 26, 27: employers must give 30 days' notice or 30 days' ordinary wage, in writing, with Unpaid wages in Korea: the 14-day rule, 20% delay interest, how to file a labour office complaint and substitute paymentEmployers must pay within 14 days of leaving; late interest is 20% a year. How foreign workers file a wage complaint on

Money and tax in Korea at a glance

Korea tax refund for tourists: limits, steps and airport countersTourists can claim VAT back on purchases of ₩15,000 or more. Official limits for immediate refund (under ₩1 million per How much cash can you bring into Korea? The US$10,000 declaration ruleDeclare to Korea Customs if you carry more than US$10,000 in foreign currency, won notes or cashier's checks. Steps with National Pension lump-sum refund for foreigners leaving Korea: who qualifies and how to claimForeigners can reclaim Korean pension contributions plus interest if their country is on the NPS list or they held an E-Flat 19% income tax option for foreign workers in Korea: who can choose it, for how long, and how to applyForeign employees who start work in Korea by 31 Dec 2026 can choose a flat 19% income tax for up to 20 years. Eligibilit Year-end tax settlement in Korea for foreign workers: who does it, the February timeline and which deductions you can useThe employer settles income tax with your February pay. Step-by-step timeline from the Income Tax Act: deduction report,Korean won banknotes and coins: denominations, the 50,000-won note, how to spot a real note and what the Bank of Korea does with damaged moneyFour banknotes and six coins are in current issue in Korea. Figures on each note, security checks for the 50,000-won not What is the VAT rate in Korea? 10 percent, what is exempt, the individual consumption tax and a calculator for prices that include VATKorea's VAT rate is 10% under Article 30 of the VAT Act. Exempt supplies in Article 26, individual consumption tax examp Korea income tax brackets 2026 for residents: the eight rates from 6% to 45%, local income tax and a tax-on-taxable-income calculatorResident income tax in Korea under Article 55 of the Income Tax Act: eight brackets from 6% to 45%, local income tax at Sending money abroad from Korea as a foreigner: the USD 100,000, 50,000 and 5,000 limits, which documents the bank needs and when it reports to the tax officeKorea's Foreign Exchange Transactions Regulation: foreign residents and non-residents need proof of fund source or use a What is the 3.3% tax for freelancers in Korea? The 3% withholding plus 0.3% local tax, who it applies to, a calculator and the May filing refundKorean freelancers are paid minus 3.3%: 3% income tax withholding (Income Tax Act Art. 129) plus local income tax of 10%Korea real estate agent fee: the maximum commission for home sales, jeonse and monthly rent by price band, and a calculatorKorea's legal ceiling for agent (broker) commission on homes: 0.4% for sales of 200-900 million won, 0.3% for leases of Changing Korean won back to foreign currency when you leave: limits and documentsVisitors can reconvert won up to what they exchanged this stay, or up to US$10,000 with no record; money changers need a

Living in Korea

National Health Insurance for foreign residents: who joins, premiums and family membersForeigners staying over six months must join Korean health insurance. 2026 employee rate 7.19%, ₩211.5 per point for reg Buying a SIM card or eSIM in Korea: where, what ID and what it costsPrepaid USIM at airport roaming centers, eSIM by QR code. KT's official price list runs ₩6,500 for 1 day to ₩143,000 for Driving in Korea with a foreign licence: International Driving Permit or exchangeDrive on an IDP for 1 year after entry, or exchange your foreign licence at a Korean test site. Recognised countries, do Emergency and help numbers in Korea for foreigners: 112, 119, 1330 and 1345112 police, 119 fire and ambulance, 1330 travel helpline, 1345 immigration line. Which number to call, what to say, and Household electricity rates in Korea: KEPCO residential tiers, base charge per kWh and a bill estimatorKEPCO residential tariff: KRW 120.0, 214.6 and 307.3 per kWh in three tiers, base charge KRW 910 / 1,600 / 7,300, plus 1 Free public Wi-Fi in Korea: Seoul's SEOUL_Secure and SEOUL networks, national Public WiFi, and how to connectSeoul's public Wi-Fi is free: connect to SEOUL_Secure with ID and password seoul, or SEOUL with a button each time. The Korea public holidays in 2026: every date, the substitute holidays and whether private employers must give the day offAll 2026 Korean public holidays with weekdays: Seollal 16-18 Feb, Buddha's Birthday 24 May, Chuseok 24-26 Sep, substitut Sending a parcel abroad from Korea: EMS and international air parcel rates, weight limits and what you needKorea Post EMS 1 kg parcel: ₩46,000 to the US, ₩28,500 to Japan, ₩20,000 to China. Air parcel rates, weight limits (30 k Lost something in Korea: where to ask (subway, taxi, airport, Lost112), how long items are kept and how to claimLost an item in Korea? Subway items go to a lost-and-found centre then the police after 7 days, kept 6 months; airport a Renting a home in Korea as a foreigner: protect your deposit with a move-in report and a fixed date (확정일자)Protect a Korean rental deposit: move-in report (foreigners file a change of residence), fixed date for KRW 600, and the Garbage and recycling rules in Seoul: what goes in the volume-based bag, food waste rules and how to dispose of bulky itemsSeoul household waste rules: an item-by-item sorting table, what must stay out of food waste, how to report and pay for City gas rates for homes in Seoul: the residential price per MJ, base charge and how your gas bill is calculatedSeoul City Gas residential tariff from 2026-10-01: KRW 22.5268 per MJ for cooking and heating, KRW 1,250 monthly base ch KIIP (Korea Immigration and Integration Program): cost per level, hours, how to register and what it does for PR and naturalisationKIIP is not free: KRW 100,000 for Levels 1 to 4, KRW 70,000 and 30,000 for Level 5, since 2025. Levels 0 to 5 hours, onl Seoul water bill: tap water, sewage and water-use charge per cubic metre, meter base fees and a household bill estimatorSeoul household water: 580 won/m3 tap water, 480 won/m3 sewage in 2026, 170 won/m3 water-use charge, meter base fees fro How much does a doctor visit cost in Korea with National Health Insurance: co-payment rates for clinics, hospitals, inpatient stays and pharmaciesKorea's NHI co-payment: 30% at a clinic or pharmacy, 40% hospital, 50% general hospital, tertiary hospital fee plus 60%,Do I have to pay the TV licence fee in Korea: who must register a TV set, the 30-day rule, exemptions and what happens if you do not payKorea's TV licence fee (KBS): who must register a set, 30 days to register, one set per household, the under-50 kWh exem How to get a driver's licence in Korea as a foreigner (not an exchange): test steps, fees and languagesKoROAD's steps and fees for a first Korean car licence: written KRW 10,000, practical KRW 25,000, on-road KRW 30,000, li Domestic post in Korea: Korea Post letter and parcel prices by weight and sizeKorea Post domestic rates: standard letter KRW 470 to 520, registered parcel KRW 4,000 to 13,000, general parcel KRW 2,7 Using a pharmacy in Korea: finding a weekend or night pharmacy, and the 13 medicines sold at convenience storesHow a visitor finds a holiday or late-night pharmacy in Korea, what to say without Korean, and the 13 safe medicines sol What plug and voltage does South Korea use? 220 V, 60 Hz, two round holes, and a device-label checkKorea's mains is 220 V at 60 Hz with a two-round-hole outlet (VISITKOREA). Where to get a travel adapter and a label che Seoul Global Center and the city's foreigner support centres: what they offer, phone numbers, hours and languagesSeoul Global Center (38 Jong-ro, 02-2075-4180): services for foreign residents and students, plus Seoul's counselling ce

Sightseeing costs in Seoul at a glance

Korea trip cost calculator: add up transport, data, K-ETA and ticketsEstimate the fixed costs of a Korea trip — airport transfer, Seoul and Busan transport, a data plan, K-ETA and main tick Seoul royal palace admission fees: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and JongmyoAdult entry is ₩3,000 at Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, ₩5,000 for the Secret Garden, ₩1,000 at Changgyeonggung, Deoks Discover Seoul Pass prices and what is included: 72-hour, 120-hour and Pick 3 passesDiscover Seoul Pass costs ₩90,000 (72 hours), ₩130,000 (120 hours), ₩49,000 (Pick 3 Basic) or ₩70,000 (Pick 3 Theme Park Seoul City Tour Bus (Tiger Bus): ticket prices, day and night courses, stops and timesSeoul City Tour Bus day course from ₩27,000 adult and ₩19,000 child; night Han River and Namsan tour from ₩25,000. 15 st Museum admission in Seoul: National Museum of Korea, Folk Museum and MMCA comparedThe National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are free; MMCA Seoul sells a ₩10,000 all-pass ticket and is fr Namsan: N Seoul Tower observatory and cable car prices, hours and combined costN Seoul Tower observatory is ₩29,000 adult and ₩23,000 child or senior; the Namsan Cable Car is ₩15,000 adult round trip Incheon Airport transit tours for layover passengers: courses, prices, eligibility and where to registerIncheon Airport's transit tours are for layovers of 24 hours or less. Most courses are free (3 to 5 hours); bring your p Lotte World Adventure (Seoul) ticket prices: day pass and After4 pass by ageLotte World Adventure Seoul costs ₩67,000 for an adult 1-day combined pass and ₩64,000 park-only; After4 is ₩55,000 or ₩How much is Everland? One-day ticket prices by month, age bands and annual passesEverland's one-day ticket is priced by month on the operator's page: adults and teens ₩71,000 in October, ₩65,000 in Nov Seoul Sky (Lotte World Tower observatory) ticket prices, Fast Pass, Sky Bridge Tour and hoursSeoul Sky costs ₩33,000 for adults and ₩29,000 for children; the Seoul Sky plus Aquarium package is ₩62,000 and the Fast Gyeongju heritage site fees: Bulguksa, Seokguram, Daereungwon and Cheonmachong, Donggung Palace and Wolji PondCheonmachong and Donggung Palace with Wolji Pond are ₩3,000 for adults (Daereungwon park entry free) per the Gyeongju ci Busan City Tour Bus: loop line routes, times and ticket pricesBusan City Tour Bus loop lines (Red, Green, Orange) cost ₩20,000 adult and ₩10,000 child per day, 5% less online; night DMZ tour cost from Imjingak: Paju DMZ Peace Tour fares, ID rules, closing days and shuttle timesThe Paju DMZ Peace Tour (3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory, Tongilchon) costs ₩12,200 for an adult with the monorail or ₩9,20 Seoul Grand Park admission fees and hours: zoo, Theme Garden and botanical gardenSeoul Grand Park zoo costs ₩5,000 for adults and the Theme Garden ₩2,000; free for ages 5 and under and 65 and over. Tee Hallasan hiking reservation and Jeju UNESCO site fees (Seongsan Ilchulbong, Manjanggul)A reservation is required for the Hallasan summit via Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa (1,000 and 500 visitors a day). Seongsan I Korea national parks: free entry, mountain shelter and campsite fees, how to reserveNational parks in Korea have no entrance fee since 2007. Shelter beds cost 20,000 won (off-peak) or 30,000 won (peak and Templestay in Korea: price by programme type and how to bookTemplestay has no fixed price: official temple pages show ₩5,000 for a Tuesday drop-in, ₩50,000 for a one-day tea ceremo