Prices
Do foreigners pay more at Seoul clinics? How to compare quotes
Sometimes, but far less often than people think. Most of the gap between two Seoul quotes comes from what is being sold: the brand, the number of units or shots, whether VAT is included, and whether one price is a first-visit promotion. Compare the same spec in writing and the mystery mostly disappears.
What readers ask
“My friend paid half what I was quoted. Was I overcharged?”
“Is there a separate price list for foreigners?”
It is a very reasonable worry. You are in a city you do not know, reading prices in a currency you do not use, often through a translator. When two clinics a few blocks apart give you numbers that differ by two or three times, it is natural to assume one of them is charging you for being a visitor.
In practice, the bigger number usually describes a different treatment. Not a different name, a different amount of product, a different brand or a different machine. Once you line those up, the comparison becomes fair, and you can see whether there is anything left to explain.
Why do two quotes for the same treatment look so different?
Because the treatment name on the menu is only a label. Underneath it there are four or five variables that move the price far more than the clinic's location or your nationality.
| Treatment | What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Botox | Brand and units | Korean toxins cost a fraction of Allergan. 50 units is not 25 units. |
| Filler | Brand and cc | Korean HA and imported HA sit in very different price bands. |
| Ultherapy, Thermage | Shot count and tip | 100 shots and 600 shots share a name and little else. |
| Skin boosters | Product and cc | “Booster” can mean water-shine, PDRN, Rejuran or Juvelook. |
| Surgery | What is included | Anaesthesia, follow-up visits and revision policy vary. |
Look at the first two numbers. Same area, same number of units, and the price differs several times over purely because of the brand. If one clinic quoted you the first and another the second, neither was cheating you. They were selling different products under the same everyday name.
Is a promotional price the “local” price?
Usually not. Seoul clinics compete hard with first-visit offers, event prices and bundles. These are real, and Korean patients use them too, but they often come with conditions: one session only, one area only, a smaller dose, or a weekday slot. When a friend tells you what they paid, they may be quoting an event price that has since ended, or one that only applied to their first visit.
Is VAT included, and can I still get it back?
Check every time. Some clinics show prices including 10% VAT and some show them before it, so two quotes can look 10% apart before anything else differs. Also note that since January 2026, foreign patients can no longer claim a VAT refund on cosmetic treatment. Older blog posts that promise a refund at the airport are out of date.
How do I ask for a quote that I can actually compare?
- 01
Name the concern, not just the product
Say what bothers you. It stops you being sold a bundle you did not need.
- 02
Ask for the spec in writing
Brand, units or cc, shot count, and which machine or tip.
- 03
Ask what is not included
Numbing, follow-up visits, aftercare products, interpreter fees.
- 04
Ask about VAT
Included or added on top. Write the final total next to it.
- 05
Compare per unit
Divide by units, cc or shots. Now two clinics are on the same scale.
“The cheapest total is often the smallest dose. The fair comparison is price per unit, for the same product, from the doctor who will actually treat you.”
So is there ever a foreigner price?
It does happen. A few clinics run a separate menu for visitors, or fold an interpreter fee into the price without saying so. You will not find out by asking “do you charge foreigners more?” The answer to that is always no. You find out by asking for the written spec and price before the consultation and comparing it with another clinic on the same terms.
This is part of what we do. Before you travel, we gather written quotes from the clinics we work with on the same scope, so you are comparing like with like rather than screenshots of different products.
See Seoul prices by treatment, shot and unit
See pricesGeneral information, not medical advice. Your doctor decides what suits you.
Quick answers
Do Korean clinics charge foreigners more?
Some do, most do not. The bigger driver of price differences is the spec: brand, units, shots and VAT. Compare written quotes for the same spec.
Can foreigners still get a VAT refund on cosmetic treatment in Korea?
No. The refund for foreign patients on cosmetic treatment ended in January 2026.
Why is botox so cheap at some Seoul clinics?
Usually because it is a Korean toxin, or a promotional price, or a smaller number of units. Ask which brand and how many units.
Should I book the cheapest clinic?
Book the clinic whose written quote matches what you need, where the consulting doctor is the treating doctor. Cheapest per unit for the same product is a fair tiebreaker.
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