When is it cheapest to visit Seoul?

Seoul is cheapest to visit in January, February.

Peak season is April, May, October, when rooms cost the most.

The month to pick is February. Rooms sit at this city's yearly low, and at an average high of 5°C and low of -3°C with 25mm of rain it asks the least of you of any of its cheap months.

The wettest month in Seoul is July, at 414mm. It is not one of the cheap months, so dodging the rain and saving money are two separate decisions here.

Seoul seasons and room prices

Seoul rooms peak in spring and autumn: cherry blossom in early April and the foliage weeks from mid October to early November draw the most visitors, and Myeongdong and Gangnam fill first. Lunar New Year and Chuseok, the harvest holiday in September or October, empty the city of locals and can actually soften hotel prices, while Christmas and the New Year period are expensive because of domestic staycation demand. The July monsoon and the coldest weeks of January are the reliable low points. Big concert weekends at the Jamsil or Gocheok stadiums push nearby hotels up sharply, so check the event calendar before fixing dates.

Seoul local costs and payment

The currency is the Korean won. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Seoul, including taxis, convenience stores and street food stalls in the main markets, so cash needs are minimal. Foreign cards work in most places, though a few domestic only terminals exist and some Korean online services want a local phone number. Pay in won at checkout rather than accepting the booking site's conversion to your home currency, which hides a margin. There is no city accommodation tax in Seoul, but the value added tax is sometimes shown separately, so compare totals rather than base rates. A T money transit card, sold at convenience stores, covers subway, bus and taxi.