South Korean won to Australian dollars, in your head
One rule, the error band that comes with it, and the point at which it stops being the right rule. Updated from the live rate feed.
Won to Australian dollars. Accurate to within 0.1% at today's rate, which means it reads about 0.1% dearer than the real price.
The ladder
The middle column is what the rule gives you standing in a market. The right column is the real number, so you can see exactly where the shortcut costs you.
| South Korean won | Rule of thumb | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| ₩500 | A$0.5 | A$0.5 |
| ₩1,000 | A$1 | A$0.999 |
| ₩2,000 | A$2 | A$2 |
| ₩5,000 | A$5 | A$5 |
| ₩10,000 | A$10 | A$9.99 |
| ₩20,000 | A$20 | A$19.99 |
| ₩50,000 | A$50 | A$49.97 |
| ₩100,000 | A$100 | A$99.95 |
| ₩200,000 | A$200 | A$199.9 |
Going the other way
Useful at the ATM, where you choose an amount in Australian dollars and want to know what lands in your hand.
| Australian dollars | South Korean won |
|---|---|
| A$1 | ₩1,001 |
| A$5 | ₩5,003 |
| A$10 | ₩10,005 |
| A$20 | ₩20,011 |
| A$50 | ₩50,027 |
| A$100 | ₩100,053 |
What catches people out in South Korea
Korea is close to cashless. The rule matters less for paying and more for sanity-checking what your card was just charged.
When this rule stops working
Rules of thumb rot quietly. This one holds while the rate stays roughly between 995 and 1,050 KRW to the Australian dollar. Outside that band a different divisor becomes the better one to memorise. We regenerate this page from the live rate feed, so the date above tells you how fresh the number is — if you are reading this a long way after August 2026, check it before you rely on it.
Or skip the arithmetic entirely
RoamRate does this conversion with no signal, in one hand, on a number pad built for a thumb. Free for AUD; KRW and 150+ other currencies unlock for $4.99, once.
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