Best location for a Costa Coffee in Seoul

6 neighbourhoods ranked for coffee shop / specialty café sites on footfall, competition, rent and business-type fit.

Brand location map

Best zones to open a Costa Coffee in Seoul

Compare neighbourhood fit for this business format. Published brand costs remain separate from local estimates.

Direct answer

Itaewon ranks first for Costa Coffee in Seoul with a Brand Location Score of 98/100. The ranking compares 6 mapped neighbourhoods using category evidence and operating-format requirements; it is not an earnings forecast.

Last reviewed: 2026-09-01

Coffee Shop / Specialty Café · Seoul — key figures

Average investment: €65,000 - €180,000
Commercial rent: ₩80000-500000/sqm
Local competition index: 63/100
Break-even: 12-24 months

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Source: WhereToOpen.ai location intelligence · 6 mapped neighbourhoods · 2026-09-01. Figures are modelled planning estimates, not audited financials.

Published Costa Coffee costs

Initial investment

£250,000–£800,000

Franchise / licence fee

Not publicly disclosed

Verified break-even

Not publicly disclosed

Third-party · United Kingdom / international formats · verified 2026-09-22. Values below are a separate local model.

Source: Franchise Direct UK →

Evidence and limitations

Confidence: 87%

Observed data: 6 mapped neighbourhoods, local competition, rent and location evidence.
Published data: Franchise Direct UK: Third-party cost information for United Kingdom / international formats.
Modelled data: Brand Location Score, local ROI scenario and payback estimate. These are not brand disclosures or guarantees.

Not available: Costa Coffee has not publicly disclosed verified break-even timing.

Brand-specific score: 78% category/location evidence plus operating-format signals for footfall, catchment, transit, delivery and parking. Confidence reflects input completeness.

Opening investment

€65,000 - €180,000

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Annual ROI

39-59%

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Payback

8-20 months

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Rent risk

Moderate

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Top areas for a Costa Coffee in Seoul

1
Itaewon
Footfall fit, transit access, high footfall, strong fit for this business type, rising area
Rent: ₩100,000-200,000
98
88% confidence
2
Yeouido
Footfall fit, transit access, high footfall, strong fit for this business type
Rent: ₩150,000-300,000
98
88% confidence
3
Gangnam
Footfall fit, transit access, high footfall, crowded market, strong fit for this business type
Rent: ₩200,000-400,000
89
88% confidence
4
Seongsu
Transit access, strong fit for this business type, rising area
Rent: ₩80,000-160,000
86
88% confidence
5
Myeongdong
Footfall fit, transit access, high footfall, crowded market, strong fit for this business type
Rent: ₩250,000-500,000
85
88% confidence
6
Hongdae
Footfall fit, high footfall, crowded market, strong fit for this business type
Rent: ₩120,000-250,000
76
88% confidence

Brand-specific score: 78% category/location evidence plus operating-format signals for footfall, catchment, transit, delivery and parking. Confidence reflects input completeness. Last reviewed 2026-09-01. Model confidence: 87%. The local ROI and payback below are modelled estimates, not Costa Coffee disclosures or guarantees.

Costa Coffee in Seoul: frequently asked answers

Where is the best location for a Costa Coffee in Seoul?

Itaewon scores 98/100 for coffee shop / specialty café locations in Seoul, ahead of Yeouido (98/100) and Gangnam (89/100). Scores rank footfall, competition, rent and business-type fit across 6 mapped neighbourhoods.

Which areas of Seoul rank highest for a coffee shop?

Itaewon (98/100), Yeouido (98/100), Gangnam (89/100). Ranking last reviewed 2026-09-01 by WhereToOpen.ai.

How much does it cost to open a coffee shop in Seoul?

Costa Coffee's sourced investment is £250,000–£800,000 for United Kingdom / international formats. A local coffee shop / specialty café category benchmark runs €65,000 - €180,000, with commercial rent around ₩80000-500000/sqm. These figures have different scopes and are shown separately.

How long does a coffee shop in Seoul take to break even?

Costa Coffee does not publicly disclose a verified break-even period. The WhereToOpen.ai local scenario is 8-20 months, with modelled annual ROI of 39-59%. This is a model, not a brand claim or guarantee.

How competitive is Seoul for this category?

The local competition index is 63/100 averaged over 6 mapped neighbourhoods (higher means more crowded).

Which area of Seoul should a Costa Coffee franchisee avoid?

Hongdae scores lowest at 76/100 for this category: footfall fit, high footfall, crowded market, strong fit for this business type.

Keep exploring

All cities for a Costa Coffee franchise →Opening a coffee shop / specialty café in Seoul →Costa Coffee cost source →

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