Currency Converter
Convert between major currencies. Live rates are fetched automatically, with a fallback if the network is unavailable.
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Exchange fee and margin check
Banks quote cash rates as the mid-market rate plus or minus a margin; a rate discount (often offered in banking apps) cuts that margin. The rate above is the ECB reference rate, so enter your bank's own base rate for an exact figure.
How to convert a currency
Enter an amount, pick the currency you are converting from and the one you want, and the result updates using live reference rates. Korean won, US dollars, Japanese yen and euros are all supported, so it works for the most common questions travellers to Korea have — what a price tag in won is worth, or how much cash to bring.
Making sense of Korean won
Korean prices look large because the won trades in the low thousands to the dollar. Banknotes come in 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 50,000 won, and coins in 10, 50, 100 and 500 won. The 50,000 won note is the largest in circulation, so cash amounts in Korea are usually counted in units of ten thousand.
Koreans themselves count in units of 만 (man), which is ten thousand. A price described as "삼만원" is 30,000 won. Once you get used to reading prices in ten-thousands rather than thousands, mental conversion becomes much easier.
A quick way to estimate in your head
For a rough figure, divide the won amount by 1,000 and adjust. If the rate is near 1,300 won to the dollar, dropping three zeros and subtracting about a quarter gets you close: 10,000 won is a little under 8 dollars, and 50,000 won is a little under 40. This is accurate enough for deciding whether a restaurant is expensive, though you should use the converter above for anything that matters.
Why your bank gives you a different number
The rates here are European Central Bank reference rates — the mid-market rate, sitting halfway between what buyers and sellers pay. No one actually trades at exactly that number. Banks, card networks and currency exchange counters each add a margin, so the amount that leaves your account is typically a little worse than the figure shown here.
Use this converter to understand what something is worth, not to predict the exact charge on your statement. Reference rates are also published once per working day, so they do not move over weekends and holidays.
Related tools
Work out a discounted price with the discount calculator, split a bill using the percentage calculator, and check the time before calling a Korean bank with Seoul time.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 10,000 won in dollars?
At a rate near 1,300 won to the dollar, 10,000 won is a little under 8 US dollars. Enter the amount above for the current figure.
Are the rates live?
They use European Central Bank reference rates, which are published once per working day. They do not update over weekends or public holidays.
Will I get this rate at the bank?
No. These are mid-market reference rates. Banks, card networks and exchange counters each add a margin, so your actual rate will be slightly worse. The exchange fee check under the converter estimates that margin and what a rate discount saves.
What banknotes does Korea use?
Notes come in 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 50,000 won, and coins in 10, 50, 100 and 500 won. The 50,000 won note is the largest in circulation.
Why do Koreans count money in ten-thousands?
The Korean word 만 (man) means ten thousand and is the natural unit for prices. 30,000 won is spoken as 삼만원, literally three ten-thousands.
Should I bring cash or use a card in Korea?
Cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities, but some small restaurants, markets and older shops remain cash-only, so carrying some won is still useful.