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The question every foreigner in Korea asks eventually: should I just order this on AliExpress, or is it worth buying on Coupang?

It usually comes up when you're staring at two listings — same product, same specs, maybe even the same photo — and one is ₩35,000 on Coupang and ₩9,000 on AliExpress. That's a real number. I've seen cables, small gadgets, and phone accessories with that kind of spread. And if you're a new expat trying to set up an apartment on a teacher's salary or grad student stipend, that price difference adds up fast.

But the answer isn't as simple as "AliExpress is always cheaper, use that." There are real trade-offs, and after a few years of living in Korea and using both platforms constantly, I've got a pretty clear picture of when each one wins. Here's the honest breakdown.

When Coupang Is the Clear Winner

Speed. Coupang's Rocket Delivery (로켓배송) is genuinely one of the best logistics services in the world. Order before midnight, it's at your door by noon the next day. Sometimes earlier. You get a notification when the driver is on your floor. It's uncanny, and it's something you start to take for granted very quickly.

If you need something fast — you're sick and need a humidifier tonight, your laptop charger just died, you're hosting people this weekend — Coupang is the only answer. AliExpress is not an emergency shopping platform.

Korean-specific products. Looking for a Korean rice cake mold, a specific brand of kimchi container, a traditional stone bowl (돌솥) for making bibimbap at home, or a heating pad made for ondol floors? These things are on Coupang. They might not exist on AliExpress, or the AliExpress version is a weird approximation that doesn't quite work.

Same goes for Korean personal care brands — Innisfree, Etude House, Mediheal, CJ products, local food brands. Coupang stocks the real thing, often cheaper than the convenience store, next-day delivery.

Electronics and appliances. For anything with a warranty or where Korean-standard voltage/plug matters, Coupang is the safe choice. Korean electronics often come in versions tuned for the Korean market (220V, Korean power plugs, sometimes Korean-only firmware). Buying the same appliance on AliExpress and ending up with a product that needs an adapter or doesn't have the right safety certifications is not a fun situation. Been there.

Returns. This is Coupang's trump card. Rocket Delivery purchases get free returns within 30 days, courier pickup from your door. You don't have to speak Korean. You request it in the app, someone shows up, they take the box, you get your money back. It's almost suspiciously easy. If there's any chance you might need to return something — size uncertainty, quality uncertainty, "I want to see it in person first" situations — buy it on Coupang.

When AliExpress Is the Smart Choice

Price on generic accessories. A USB-C cable on Coupang runs ₩8,000–15,000 for a decent one. The same braided cable on AliExpress is ₩2,000–4,000. A phone case that's ₩12,000 on Coupang might be ₩2,500 on AliExpress. Wireless earbuds you're buying as a backup pair or for the gym: ₩8,000–15,000 on AliExpress vs ₩30,000–50,000 on Coupang for equivalent quality. The math is real.

For things that are essentially commodities — cables, adapters, basic phone cases, LED strips, small craft supplies, stickers, random organizational items — AliExpress is often 3x to 5x cheaper for something functionally identical.

Things that just don't exist on Coupang. Certain niche hobby items, specific electronics components, unusual tool accessories, international brand items that aren't imported to Korea — AliExpress often has a broader long-tail catalog. If you're into 3D printing, electronics DIY, specific collectibles, or you want something that's just quirky or specific, AliExpress is worth checking first.

Non-urgent purchases where you're willing to gamble a little. I buy most of my desk cable management stuff from AliExpress. If a cable clip doesn't quite work, I'm out ₩3,000, not ₩15,000. The risk tolerance is different when the stakes are low.

The Hybrid Approach Most Expats Land On

After a while, you stop thinking about this as either/or. You check both, and you apply some rough rules.

Coupang first, always, for:

  • Anything you need within the next 3 days
  • Food, groceries, fresh or chilled items
  • Appliances and electronics (air purifiers, rice cookers, fans, humidifiers)
  • Health products (air purifier filters, vitamins, anything going in or near your body)
  • Anything over ₩50,000 where a bad return experience would hurt

AliExpress when:

  • Coupang is 2x the price or more for the same thing
  • You can wait 10–15 days without any problem
  • It's a small accessory or generic item (cable, case, adapter, organizer)
  • You've checked reviews and found at least a dozen real photos in the comments

The mental model I use: Coupang is my convenience store, AliExpress is my wholesale market. I don't go to the wholesale market for bread when I'm hungry right now. But I do go there when I need 20 identical cable ties for a cable management project and I'm not in a rush.

Some Real Price Comparisons

Here are some actual categories where the spread is meaningful (prices approximate, as of early 2026):

USB-C hub (multi-port): Coupang ₩25,000–40,000 / AliExpress ₩8,000–15,000. AliExpress wins if you can wait.

Phone case for a common model: Coupang ₩8,000–15,000 / AliExpress ₩2,000–5,000. AliExpress wins easily.

Air purifier: Coupang ₩120,000–200,000 for a real brand (Winix, Coway) / AliExpress ₩30,000–80,000 for Xiaomi or no-name. Get the real brand from Coupang. Filters, warranty, known quality — worth it for something you breathe through every day.

Korean snacks and food: Coupang wins. AliExpress doesn't have these, and if it does, you don't know how old they are or what the storage conditions were.

LED strip lights: Coupang ₩15,000–25,000 / AliExpress ₩5,000–12,000. AliExpress wins for basic strips; Coupang if you need specific Korean electrical safety certifications or same-day delivery.

What About Returns on AliExpress?

The short answer: it's complicated.

AliExpress has improved its dispute resolution a lot. For items under ₩20,000–30,000, sellers often just refund you and tell you to keep the product — it's not worth the hassle for them to process an international return. That's actually great for low-stakes purchases.

But for anything expensive or where you genuinely need a replacement or a working product, international returns from Korea to China can cost more than the item itself. Shipping a ₩30,000 item back might cost ₩15,000–25,000 in international postage. So you're essentially stuck.

The rule of thumb: treat AliExpress purchases as non-returnable. If you're not comfortable keeping something even if it's not perfect, buy it on Coupang.

Payment: Both Work With Foreign Cards

Good news for expats: both platforms accept foreign Visa and Mastercard. Coupang also supports foreign cards pretty smoothly; some people run into issues with certain bank cards, but most major international cards work.

AliExpress accepts most international cards and also PayPal, which some people prefer for the extra buyer protection layer.

Neither requires a Korean bank account or 공인인증서 (the old Korean digital certificate that used to make online shopping a nightmare for foreigners). Things have improved a lot on this front.

The Verdict

You need both. But if you're brand new to Korea and you haven't used either yet, start with Coupang.

It's faster, the returns are easy, the selection of Korean products is unbeatable, and the experience of getting something delivered the next morning after ordering at midnight is genuinely delightful in a way that makes you feel like you live in the future.

Once you've got your feet under you — your apartment is set up, you have the essentials — then start exploring AliExpress for the accessories, the small stuff, the "let me try this cheap version first" purchases. That's when the price difference really starts to work in your favor.

Coupang for speed, trust, and Korean products. AliExpress for price, variety, and patience. Use both, know which one to reach for, and you'll shop smarter than 90% of expats who just stick to one out of habit.