A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Seoul vs. Flores for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Seoul or Flores?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Seoul and Flores can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Seoul or Flores?

Seoul

With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Guatemala, and The Best 3-Day Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Flores or Seoul?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Seoul is $128, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Seoul and Flores in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Seoul $54
    Flores $8.73
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Seoul $108
    Flores $17
Compare Hotels in Seoul and Flores

Looking for a hotel in Seoul or Flores? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Seoul


Hotels in Flores


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Seoul Hotel Prices and Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Seoul $15
    Flores $7.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:


  • Subway Card
    $3.58
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $5.01
  • Metro Ride
    $0.97
  • Seoul City Pass Plus
    $7.16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:

  • Transfer Service from Gimpo Airport to Hotel City: $57
  • Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport (1-12pax): $164
  • Private Transfer To/From Incheon Airport: $90
  • Private One-Way Transfers to/from Incheon Airport(ICN): $39
  • Night Views Tour with Guide and Transfers: $41
  • Seoul to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) Departure Private Transfer: $65
  • Seoul to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) - Departure Private Transfer: $80
  • Seoul Incheon Airport ICN to Seoul - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $160
  • Private transfer from Seoul hotel to Seoul Station and so on: $132
  • Private Transfer from Seoul to Incheon Cruise Terminal(12 pax): $190
  • Private Transfer from Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul hotels: $80
  • Private Transfer Service from Seoul City Hotels to Gimpo Airport: $57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90
  • Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores : $133

Is it cheaper to fly into Seoul or Flores?

Prices for flights to both Flores and Seoul change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Seoul $51
    Flores $23
Typical Food Prices in Seoul

Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:


  • Rice with Kimchi & Bacon
    $4.30
  • Waffle
    $0.72
  • Dippin' Dots
    $1.43
  • Chicken Fried Rice
    $3.94
  • Chicken Stick
    $1.43
  • Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew
    $1.36
  • Lunch Buffet
    $4.30
  • Donut
    $0.72
  • Mushroom Burger
    $3.72
  • Green Tea Ice Cream
    $2.36
  • Udon & Sushi
    $5.01
  • Fresh Burger
    $3.44
  • Soba Noodles Lunch
    $3.22
  • Bibimbap Lunch
    $3.58
  • Fried Rice
    $3.94
  • Vietnamese Dinner
    $6.80
  • Breakfast and Coffee for 2
    $6.80
  • Donut
    $1.79

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.

  • Guided Street Food Tour at Namdaemun Market: $45
  • Seoul Night Run for Local-Favorite Korean BBQ Dinner: $50
  • [Wine & K-BBQ] A Perfect Pairing Dinner in Sinchon: $51
  • Korean Grandma Cooking Class l Gimbap & Kimchi Pancake l Seoul: $52
  • Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals; Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $53
  • Wine & K-BBQ: A Perfect Pairing Dinner: $53
  • Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $57
  • Street Food Tour in Jongno, Heart of Seoul: $58
  • Kimchi Dishes Cooking Class with Wine Pairing: $61
  • Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $64
  • Seoul by Night: Palaces, Market & Street Food Tour (Vegan Option): $65
  • Dinner at a Local's Hanok & Seoul's Night Life: $66

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Seoul $26
    Flores $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:


  • Palace Tickets
    $5.73
  • Movie Ticket
    $5.73
  • Kimchi Museum
    $2.15

Tours and Activities in Seoul

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:

  • DMZ, Eunpyeong village and Jinkwansa Temple Private Tour : $212
  • Danyang Tour of Guinsa Temple, Bobaljae and Cheongpung Cable Car: $99
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace & Bukchon Village Walking Tour : $66
  • Private DMZ tour and Mt Gamagak Suspension Bridge: $250
  • Private Tour Nami Island & Morning Calm Garden: $256
  • Seoul National Museum Walking Tour Experience: $35
  • (Private tour) Nami Island + Railbike + Garden of morning calm: $260
  • (Small Group) Art and Architecture tour of Seoul: $121
  • 1Day Seoul Heritage Bike Tour: From Gyeongbokgung to HistoricGems: $150
  • 2 Hours Seoul Private Walking Tour Including Pick up: $59
  • 2025 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best: DMZ Tour from Seoul: $29
  • 3-Hour Self-guided Sokcho Tour with Private Transportation: $30

Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.26

Tours and Activities in Flores

For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
  • Full Day Tikal Sunrise Tour from Flores and Archaeological Tour: $48
  • Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores: $65
  • From Flowers Eco Tour to Blue Crater All Inclusive: $70
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport: $78
  • Tour to Tikal (Awesome): $85
  • Yaxha Day Tour from Flores: $100
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores and Airport: $105
  • Full-Day Shared Tour to Tikal from Flores Peten with Lunch: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Seoul $12
    Flores $21

Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul

Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute: $20
  • The Seoul Pub Crawl Official: $22
  • Pub Crawl: $25
  • The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
  • LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl and Drag Show with Local Drag Queen: $28
  • Soju Tasting at Distillery - story of 3 pigs: $41
  • Rice Wine Tasting with Sommelier - Finest Makgeolli (& Soju): $42
  • Rice Wine Tasting with Sommelier - Finest Makgeolli (& Soju): $46
  • Soju Tasting at Distillery: $51
  • Premium Pub Crawl with Open Bottles: $57
  • Craft Makgeolli Brewery Tour & Tasting Experience: $67
  • Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $78

Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.61


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Seoul and Flores, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Seoul is in Asia and Flores is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Seoul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seoul than you might in Flores.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Seoul Expensive? and Is Flores Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Seoul or Flores?

Seoul has a larger population, and is about 510 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Seoul and Flores, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.