Paying in South Korea

Hi there,

Can you easily pay by card in South Korea, or should you stick to cash?

Is it easy to withdraw money from ATMs with any foreign bank card?

I’ve read some conflicting info about this.

Thanks in advance.

Hi there,

It really depends on the bank card... Revolut and Boursorama work well. I’ve heard N26 does too. It can vary and depends on the systems used by restaurants and shops. But I’ve never had any issues withdrawing cash.

Thanks for the reply. I don’t have a Revolut card or a Boursorama card—I hope that’ll be okay.

Hi there,

Can you easily pay by card in South Korea, or should you prioritize cash?

I use my Mastercard and American Express almost everywhere. Just sometimes in a few parking lots where foreign cards aren’t accepted, as well as for cash. In those cases, the kindness of Koreans—paying with their card and letting me give them cash—solves the problem (I’ve had this happen a few times, most recently at the Suncheon Bay parking lot). Obviously, it’s best to have enough cash for small shops and markets.

Is it easy to withdraw money from ATMs with any foreign bank card?

I never withdraw money abroad.

Hi Erjome,

Thanks for the reply! By the way, is it easy to exchange euros there?

Hi,

No problem at all in big cities.