5 Best Budget-Friendly Airbnbs in Seoul
Have you always dreamed of traveling to South Korea but are wondering whether or not it can fit within your budget? Since lodging is typically one of the priciest expenses when it comes to traveling, you may be looking to save some cash by going the Airbnb route.
While we’d all love to fly first class and stay in the fancy Ritz Carlton, the truth of the matter is, not all of us can afford the boujie things in life. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to have a nice, clean, and safe place to retreat to during your stay in Seoul! Better yet, being on a budget doesn’t exclude you from having the ability to stay in some of the hottest, most desirable neighborhoods in Seoul.
While plane tickets can get pricey, Korea is a relatively inexpensive place to visit once you get there. Thankfully, I was able to find several amazing yet affordable Airbnbs to stay in which helped tremendously. I do want to note that I did travel with my mom and sister so we were splitting the cost by three. But this list also includes a reasonably-priced Airbnb that my mom stayed in solo. So trust me—if we can make a trip to Korea work on our limited budgets, you can, too!
In this blog post, I’ll be breaking down:
The best budget-friendly Airbnbs to stay in Seoul (from firsthand experience!)
Prices and accommodations
Location, location, location!
Best Budget Friendly Airbnbs in Seoul
Note: Airbnb prices are subject to change. Weekends typically cost more, but staying multiple days instead of one or two nights can sometimes help bring down the cost. Some Airbnbs have service and cleaning fees and some do not. All prices listed in this post include tax + fees.
Hotel RAWA
Hotel RAWA was the first Airbnb we stayed at in Seoul. We made it to our Airbnb sometime after 9:00 PM (Seoul time) and had no issues checking in. The man who checked us in helped us to the elevator. He even assisted with lifting some of our luggage and directed us to our room.
Pros: The description and photos were very accurate. The beds and comforters were delightful. The pillows were firm which is actually what I prefer! The rain shower head was so luxurious and had great water pressure. It’s a wet bathroom (which may be a new experience for foreign travelers) but one of the standout highlights of this Airbnb was how quickly the tile dried. Note: the towels are the size of a hand towel in the U.S. which is pretty common in Korea. If you are accustomed to the standard-sized bath towels found in the U.S. then I highly suggest packing one in your suitcase as you will likely need it at most places you stay in Seoul. As we were leaving we had the chance to chat with the two people at the front desk who were both very nice. Hotel Rawa was a great way to start our stay in Korea!
Cons: There wasn’t a mirror in the main room. The wet bathroom had no electrical outlets (probably due to safety reasons) so it was a bit difficult to use a hair dryer and flat iron without a mirror. A second mirror would’ve also been nice for us since we had three people trying to get ready simultaneously. Hotel RAWA comfortably sleeps three but if you have a lot of luggage (we each had a large suitcase and a carry-on) it may feel crowded.
Location: Hotel RAWA is tucked away in an alley—you’d never know there was a busy street just around the corner because it’s very quiet with no noise. It is incredibly convenient to the neighborhoods of Ikseondong and Insadong. Since we arrived at Hotel RAWA late at night we were pretty famished. Luckily, there was a restaurant right around the corner called Insaeng Maekju (인쌩맥주) that was open late at night. We arrived after 11 PM KST, ordered kimchi jeon, tteokbokki, and mandu, and couldn’t believe how cheap the prices were! The same meal in Atlanta would easily cost more than $50 before tax and tip. Our total bill was ₩28,700.00 (KRW) which equals $22.22 USD including tax. Any posted prices you see in Korea include the tax already. AND there is no tipping in Korea! Ikseondong is known for its Hanok Alley which has cute cafes, aesthetically pleasing shops, and restaurants (all easily walkable and accessible via quaint little back alleyways). In the morning we had breakfast at Cafe Onhwa, a local place famous for its fluffy souffle pancakes (be prepared to wait, the pancakes take about 45 minutes to make).
Hotel RAWA itself is located down a little alleyway (versus a main-drag road) which is pretty common in Seoul. I recall some reviewers made complaints about the location being in an alley (insinuating that it looked “less safe”) but if you know anything about Korea then you should know it is one of the safest countries on the planet. There are CCTV cameras posted everywhere and all of the cars have dash cams (Koreans refer to them as “black boxes”) so crime is unusually low because perpetrators can be easily caught. People even joke (but they are actually quite serious) that you can leave your laptop out at a cafe unattended for 45 minutes and no one will steal it.
Price: $50.37 USD per night (split three ways = $16.79 per person per night)
We paid an extra ₩15,000 KRW per night over the Airbnb fee for the third person. This is noted in the room description when booking.
4-2 OH B hosted by Ohana
4-2 OH B is located in Hongdae, a youthful, buzzing area that houses a prominent University student community. It’s also home to the unique busking culture (which includes both music AND dance!). You’ll find lots of trendy bargain shops and plenty of hopping restaurants and cafes—including our favorite SF Bagels.
Pros: If you’re looking for a great location, 4-2 OH B can’t be beaten! The hosts were very nice and accommodating. The building is very secure. I really appreciated the amount of natural light and the clean, minimal interior style. Considering the heavy student population and bustling nightlife, we were pleasantly surprised that there were zero noise issues. We regret we were too busy to check out the rooftop patio. I definitely recommend booking a stay at 4-2 OH B!
Cons: Most of the Airbnbs in Korea have what is called a wet bath, so there are no plugs in most of the bathrooms. It would be really helpful if they installed a mirror in the main room near an outlet for using a blow dryer and other hair appliances. Note that the kitchen space is outside the bedroom door in a common area (but we didn’t end up using the kitchen as there were so many yummy eateries nearby). There were three of us and we had luggage to last us a month (3 big suitcases and 3 carryons) which made it crowded. But since we only stayed two nights it was manageable.
Location: It’s located in the very hip Hongdae area with the subway just steps from the front door. Between having Cafe Abiachae on the first floor and the 7-Eleven just down the street—everything is really convenient. It’s walkable to Gyeongui Line Forest Park—a linear green space lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops. We were sad to leave the area.
Price: $76.82 USD per night (split three ways = $25.61 per person per night)
Limehouse & Banana House
Limehouse & Banana House (formerly Munic House) are both housed in the same building. The biggest draw? When staying at either Airbnb, the desirable neighborhood of Ikseondong is (quite literally) at your doorstep. What convinced us to book these two Airbnbs was the steady stream of glowing reviews—and of course—the price!
Pros: Banana House wasn’t available the full time so we also stayed several nights at Kate’s Limehouse which is located in the same building. We found Kate to be a very accommodating host. Not only did she allow us to drop off our luggage early, but she also transferred it between the two condos the day we switched places. When you combine the convenience of location with amenities and overall value—you just can’t go wrong booking either of Kate’s places.
Cons: The queen bed in Banana House was more comfortable than the one in Limehouse. Other than that they were nearly identical with the photos and descriptions being very accurate. I would not describe these Airbnbs as luxurious by any means, but they were cozy.
Location: You cannot beat this location! Having stayed in several locations during our month-long visit to Korea we found Kates’s place to be the best when it came to being able to walk out the front door and have numerous wonderful options just steps away. There was even a convenience store right out the front door of the building. We didn’t have to leave the neighborhood to find any number of cute cafes, restaurants, and shops in the hanok village just across the street. Flippers is another souffle pancake place we found in Hanok Alley that has delicious lemon souffle pancakes. It’s also a short walk to Insadong and Ikseondong. Or a quick bus ride to the palace or Gwanghamun Plaza. One day we walked from Gyeongbokgung Plaza back to our Airbnb (stopping for an early dinner on our way) but the subway station and bus stops are very convenient when you want to go further than your legs will take you.
Banana House price: $53.90 USD per night (split three ways = $17.97 per person per night)
Limehouse price: $52.65 USD per night (split three ways = $17.55 per person per night)
Wolha Inn
Note: When my mom had the opportunity to visit Korea again in the late fall, this Airbnb is where she stayed solo for two weeks. The information and review provided below reflect her thoughts and opinions.
You can't beat the price and location of Wolha and the pictures are accurate so you know what to expect. The room isn't huge but there's plenty of space so it doesn't feel closed in at all. I would definitely stay here again.
Pros: The host told me I could store my luggage early but when I arrived I was actually allowed to check in early which was even better. If I had a timely question communication response time was reasonable. I reported that my shower drain was very slow draining and it was fixed the same day.
The 55" TV in the room was nice for Netflix and the late World Cup soccer games! Free use of the full-size washer and separate dryer in the common area is great and they provide laundry detergent.
When I first arrived it was warm enough that I needed to use the AC which worked great. During my stay, Seoul had its first snow and I'm pretty sure there is ondol heating because the floors were so nice and warm and the room overall was plenty warm even when temps dropped below freezing.
Cons: The only issue is the very small refrigerator in the room isn't cold. Temperature is just barely lower than room temperature and it only has space for a few bottles of water so don't count on refrigeration. I just used the water purifier in the common area to refill water bottles and it was great because the water comes out chilled.
Location: The location of Wolha is great because it's within reasonable walking distance of many shops and restaurants, including the Ikseondong Hanok Alley and Insadong shopping areas so you can stay in the area and have plenty to see and do. It's also only a 5-8 minute walk (depending on how fast you walk) to the Jongno or Anguk subway stations.
Price: $33.40 USD per night
All the Airbnbs noted provided shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a blow dryer. A couple had Korean skin care products. They all had waterproof sandals for the wet bath, and one even had slippers and robes.
Disclaimer: Our Korea trip lasted an entire month. Since we weren’t familiar with Seoul, we purposefully booked a wide array of Airbnbs so we wouldn’t get stuck in a location for an entire month (only to find out we preferred a different neighborhood more). While that is a great way to “try out” varying Airbnbs and neighborhoods, keep in mind that every time you switch Airbnbs you have to pack up your suitcase, lug it across the city, and potentially pay service/cleaning fees at the new Airbnb (that you wouldn’t incur if you just stayed at one Airbnb your entire trip).
Were you surprised about how affordable Airbnbs are in Korea? Which Airbnb would you like to stay at the most? Let me know in the comments below!
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