To compare quotes from two Seoul clinics, first make sure they describe the same treatment. Write down the same details for each: exact device or product, shots or units, product tier, treatment area, whether VAT is included, and what follow-up the price covers. Then work out the total you would actually pay at each clinic. Until those lines match, the cheaper number may simply be a smaller or different treatment. Keep the notes in one place, leave the building before you decide, and compare both plans somewhere quiet.
USD figures in this article are rough conversions at about KRW 1,400 to the dollar. Check the current rate before you budget.
Why Do Two Quotes for the “Same” Treatment Look So Different?
They often aren’t quotes for the same thing. A clinic menu in Seoul can be sold by shot count, kilojoule, cc, unit, treatment area or session, and two lines with similar names can differ in all of those.
A lifting quote may name one device at one clinic and a different device at the next. A filler quote may be per area at one clinic and per syringe at another. A Botox quote may use an imported toxin in one case and a domestic one in the other. None of this means either clinic is doing anything wrong. It means the headline number is only the last line of a longer description, and you need the description before the number means anything.
Our guide to comparing clinic menus that use different device names covers the naming problem in more depth. This article is about what to do once you have two actual quotes in your hand.
Medical judgment can also make two honest quotes differ. If two doctors look at the same face, one may propose more product or a different plan than the other. That is worth a question, not automatic suspicion.
What Should You Write Down for Each Quote?
Ask for the same details at both clinics, and ask for them in writing if you can. A photo of the quote sheet is fine if the clinic allows it.
| What to write down | Why it changes the comparison |
|---|---|
| Exact device or product name | “Lifting” or “filler” is a category, not a treatment |
| Shots, kJ, units or cc | A lower price may simply mean less treatment |
| Product tier or origin | Imported and domestic lines of the same category can differ several times over |
| Treatment area | “Lower face” and “full face” are not the same job |
| VAT included or excluded | About 10% on the total can flip which quote is cheaper |
| Numbing, sedation and aftercare | Often listed separately |
| Fee for choosing a doctor | Some clinics add one |
| Follow-up or touch-up terms | What is covered, for how long, and whether you must return in person |
| Who performs the treatment | Doctor, device operator or both, and for which steps |
| Validity of the quote | Whether the price holds if you return tomorrow or on a later trip |
If you can’t fill in a line, that gap is your next question, not a reason to assume the answer.
How Do You Compare Lifting Quotes When the Devices or Shot Counts Differ?
Compare device first, then shot count, then area. Dividing the price by the number of shots is only useful between two quotes on the same device.
If the devices differ, a price per shot tells you very little. A shot on one platform is not the same unit of energy, depth or coverage as a shot on another, so “KRW 3,000 per shot” against “KRW 2,000 per shot” is not a real comparison. Ask each doctor why they chose that device for you, how the shots will be distributed, and what result they would consider realistic.
If the device is the same, check the shot count against the area. Three hundred shots spread across the full face and three hundred concentrated on the jawline are different plans. You can also ask whether the count is confirmed on the device or cartridge on the day.
Lifting devices usually involve some discomfort, which is why numbing comes up in the quote. Swelling and tenderness can last from days to longer depending on the device and the person, and results vary. Ask each clinic how long a result typically lasts for someone like you, since a longer interval can matter as much as a lower price.
How Do You Compare Filler and Botox Quotes?
For filler, confirm the product and how it is charged. Some clinics price per area, others per syringe or cc, and the same clinic may list a domestic and an imported product for the same area. As an approximate guide, a single-area filler line in Seoul can run from around KRW 100,000 to over KRW 400,000 (about USD 70 to USD 285+), and the product tier explains much of that gap.
Ask how much product your area needs and whether that amount is covered by the quoted line. Also ask what happens if the doctor needs more on the day. An estimate of the amount is reasonable, but final dosing can change after examination.
For Botox, write down the toxin brand, the number of units or areas, and whether the area count is defined the same way at both clinics. “Three areas” at one clinic may not be the same three areas at another. Jawline and neck treatments are usually quoted by units or volume, so match those too.
The cheaper line isn’t always worse. Domestic products are widely used, and some people are comfortable with them. The point is that you should choose the tier knowingly, instead of discovering later that you compared a domestic line with an imported one.
How Do VAT and Add-Ons Change the Real Total?
Work out the final amount you would pay at each clinic, because the quote with the lower headline number can lose most of its advantage.
Cosmetic procedures in Korea are generally subject to 10% VAT, and menus differ on whether prices include it. The tourist refund on cosmetic procedures ended at the end of 2025, so don’t subtract one from your budget.
Here is an example with made-up figures, used only to show the arithmetic:
| Line | Clinic A | Clinic B |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted price | KRW 800,000 | KRW 1,000,000 |
| VAT | Excluded, add KRW 80,000 | Included |
| Numbing and aftercare | Separate, KRW 50,000 | Included |
| Real total | KRW 930,000 | KRW 1,000,000 |
A gap of KRW 200,000 (about USD 145) has become KRW 70,000 (about USD 50), and you still need to check that the device and shot count match.
Add-ons offered during the visit can move the total again. Our article on add-ons offered in the treatment room explains how to separate what you need from what can wait. Keep the two quotes at the same scope, and compare any extras separately.
How Do You Fit Two Consultations Into One Trip?
Book both consultations early in the trip, ideally on different days or with a long gap, and leave the treatment for a later slot. That way you aren’t choosing with a procedure already waiting in the next room.
Check first whether each clinic will see you for a consultation alone, and whether a fee applies. Our guide to consultation-only visits covers what to expect. Bring the same information to both, including past procedures, medications and your flight date, so each clinic is planning for the same person.
Don’t plan around price alone. Downtime can decide the matter on a short trip. A plan that costs less but leaves you bruised on your flight home, or needs a review you can’t attend, may not be the cheaper choice. If you only have a day or two, a two-clinic comparison may not be realistic, and sending your questions before you travel can be the better option.
If you do get treatments at more than one clinic on the same trip, tell each clinic exactly what the other did, including product, area and date.
How Do You Keep Notes and Decide Calmly?
Keep one note per clinic, in the same order, and write it straight after you leave. Memory blurs quickly, especially after two consultations full of unfamiliar product names.
A simple note might include:
- The doctor’s assessment in one or two sentences
- The proposed plan, with every line from the checklist above
- The real total in KRW and your home currency
- Downtime, risks and how long the result is expected to last
- Follow-up terms and how you would contact the clinic from home
- Anything you were told only verbally
- How you felt about the conversation, including whether your questions were answered and whether you felt rushed
If you feel pressure to decide on the spot, a calm reply is enough: “Thank you, I’m seeing another clinic and will decide tonight.” Then ask whether the quote stays valid until a certain date. A time-limited price is a fact to note, not a reason to skip your comparison.
Finally, ask what happens after you pay. The article on what “touch-up included” actually covers lists the questions to settle. For a visitor, clear follow-up terms can be worth more than a small price difference. No quote guarantees a result, because outcomes vary from person to person.
If You Want a Quote With Those Lines Spelled Out, MIO Clinic Is One Option
Seoul Skin Notes is run by MIO Clinic.
If you’re comparing clinics in Gangnam, MIO Clinic publishes its menu with units and product tiers, so you can fill in much of the checklist before you arrive. All prices below are as published at the time of writing and exclude VAT. Choosing a specific doctor adds KRW 100,000 (about USD 70). Final cost depends on your assessment.
- Ultherapy Prime 300 shots: KRW 1,090,000 (about USD 780), priced by shot count. Numbing is required.
- Thermage 300 shots: KRW 1,190,000 (about USD 850), also priced by shot count.
- Nose Filler: KRW 399,000 (about USD 285) for the Juvéderm, Restylane or Belotero line, or KRW 159,000 (about USD 115) for the Domestic line, priced per area.
- Wrinkle Botox, 3 Areas: KRW 189,000 (about USD 135) for Allergan Original, KRW 139,000 (about USD 100) for Xeomin or Dysport, or KRW 39,000 (about USD 28) for Domestic Premium.
MIO’s own trip guidance lists filler and wrinkle Botox as first-day treatments, while Eye/Derma Ulthera is listed for the last day. That can help when you are placing a consultation and treatment around a second clinic visit.
MIO uses detailed clinical photography and AI-assisted facial analysis to inform the doctor’s plan, and the skin analysis scan carries no additional charge. The doctor makes the decision after assessing you in person. MIO’s doctors are experienced and each has a main area: Shin Seungyong’s published focus includes lifting, botox, filler and contouring, for example, and Kim Doyoung’s includes skin boosters, lasers and pigmentation. Doctor assignment happens at booking, so ask at consultation who handles your concern. Jung Guhyun and Shin Seungyong see patients in English, and an English-speaking interpreter is available.
MIO is open on Sundays too, which can make it easier to fit a second consultation into a short trip.
FAQ
Can I ask a Seoul clinic for a written quote?
Yes, you can ask. Many clinics will provide a printed sheet or let you photograph the plan, though practice varies. Check that it names the device or product, the amount, the area and whether VAT is included.
Is it rude to tell a clinic I’m comparing quotes?
No. It is a normal thing for a visitor to do, and a simple statement that you will decide later is enough. You don’t need to name the other clinic or share its quote.
Is the cheaper quote usually a lower-quality treatment?
Not necessarily. It may reflect a domestic product, fewer shots, a smaller area, VAT left out or different clinic pricing. Match those details first, and then decide whether the remaining difference matters to you.
Can I compare lifting quotes by price per shot?
Only when both quotes use the same device. Shots on different devices are not equivalent units, so the price per shot doesn’t tell you which plan is stronger or more suitable.
Should I show one clinic the other clinic’s plan?
You don’t have to share the price, but you can describe the proposed treatment and ask for their view. If you actually receive treatment at another clinic during the trip, always tell the next clinic the product, area and date.
How long should I wait before deciding?
Unless your schedule is very tight, take at least an evening. Check your notes, confirm the real totals and make sure the downtime fits your flight before you pay either clinic.
Book at MIO Clinic, Gangnam
Seoul Skin Notes is the official journal of MIO Clinic, a skin & aesthetic clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. The MIO team handles consultations and bookings in English over WhatsApp — tell them what you are considering and they will walk you through your options.
MIO Clinic
2-3F, FINE TOWER, 372 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Gangnam Station, Exit 4 — 3-minute walk
Hours: Mon & Fri 10:00–21:00 · Tue–Thu & Sat 10:00–19:00 · Sun 10:00–19:00
Web：mioclinic.kr/en · Instagram：@mioclinic_global · Email：en-official@mioclinic.kr · Google Maps