HOW MUCH I SPENT IN ONE MONTH IN BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA

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Are you planning a trip to Busan and wondering what to budget? Especially on a longer trip it is essential to know which costs to expect but it can be hard finding reliable information. Before I started my six month trip through Asia I struggled with this so hope you will find my post helpful.

This is the fourth installment of my expense summary and covers the four weeks I spent in Busan, South Korea, in April 2026. You might also want to check out how much I spent in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Da Nang!

Some general info

No matter what your destination, you can travel on a shoestring or like a king so travel budgets are quite variable. To help you make sense of my expenses I will give some background info on what I did and how I traveled. You can then easily adjust my budget to your tastes: Do you want a bigger apartment (probably)? Will you cook more yourself? What activities are you planning on?

However, if you are in a hurry and just want some plain numbers to get an idea how much a comfortable but frugal month in Busan will cost you, you can jump right down to my cost totals and to a list of prices for typical items.

Accomodation in Busan

In Busan I stayed in a studio apartment in the Pusan National University Area (PNU). It included a kitchenette, a washing machine, a small bathroom as well as a table. I paid USD 553.36 for my four week stay on AirBnB.

The apartment was quite small and reminiscent of a dorm room

All things considered, my accomodation in Busan, South Korea, was quite affordable. Though still the biggest chunk of my budget it was on the lower side compared to other AirBnBs on this trip, quite surprising as Korea is not the cheapest country in Asia!

This was primarily due to two factors – the size/style of the apartment and the location. Let me first say that I absolutel loved, loved, loved my place and especially the PNU area. I would absolutely stay there again for a longer trip (though maybe not for a short sight-seeing holiday).

I absolutely loved the PNU area

The area around Pusan National University (PNU for short) is a largely pedestrianized bustling neighborhood full of inexpensive restaurants, nifty cafés, upscale bakeries, cute boutiques, board game cafes, fast food chains, street food stalls…

My apartment was also within 5 minutes walk of a metro station on Line 1 and close to a large department store (with grocery store and food court)! And as if that wasn’t enough there were also opportunities for walks/hikes nearby – and plenty of cherry trees to admire blossoms!

The area was clean, safe, and offered a vast variety of restaurants and shops

Sounds pretty much perfect – so why would this area be cheaper? There is one major drawback – PNU is quite far from the beach and most of the regular tourist attractions/sights. Everything is basically a good hour away. So PNU is perfect for hanging out/enjoying the area but less for sight-seeing.

The second reason for the lower price was the size. This AirBnB is ideal if you want to recreate your student days and feel you are back in a dorm. The building is basically set up for students and the apartment is very small and a bit spartan.

This was however expected as the listing made it quite clear and did not bother me. It was completely adequate and serviceable for one person. To my surprise, the building was very quiet. I guess Korean University students really are too busy to do much partying!

The bathroom was small but worked well. As is common in South Korea you could not flush toilet paper down the toilet which was a bit of a pain but nothing that could not be dealt with.

The apartment was tiny but had everything I needed

I really appreciated having a washing machine and drying rack in the room though I have to say it was very cramped if laundry was hung up.

The bed was narrow but adequate. It had however the hardest mattress I have ever experienced. I didn’t even know they made ones that were as firm as the floor! Luckily I prefer a harder mattress (but this one was a bit much even for me).

WiFi worked well. The only real disadvantage of this apartment for me was that the table and chair were not ideal for working. Perfectly fine for eating or writing a couple of emails but if you worked at it longer it did get rather uncomfortable.

I can’t state enough how much I loved the area I stayed in. I would stay in a more central location for a short visit but for a longer stay it was perfect. And the apartment did exactly what it claimed and was perfectly adequate at a good price.

I don’t think you could stay in Busan cheaper if you want your own place, especially for a month or less. This was one of the least expensive AirBnBs I saw so I think my cost for accomodation was on the lower side.

Food in Busan

I was quite worried about food cost prior to traveling to Busan as I had heard that South Korea is much more expensive than Thailand or Vietnam. But it ended up not being an issue.

This was largely due to the location of my apartment:

a) The PNU neighborhood is quite local with few Non-Asian tourists. For me, the all Korean menus were a bit challenging so I ended up getting quite a bit of food at bakeries and grocery stores to take back to my AirBnB with me. Even that was a bit tricky as it involved scanning the signs and translating it with Papagao.

b) The area mostly caters to students and prices are quite a bit lower than in the tourist areas. I was quite shocked when I looked a restaurant menus in Haeundae to see that food was almost twice as expensive.

And of course I am still not a big eater. A snack or nice bakery item was usually enough to fill me up.

Bulgogi meal at department store food court

Given that I was a bit too nervous to venture into many restaurants I mostly ate at the food court in the basement of the NC Department Store. They had various options, both Korean and international.

I several times had the Bulgogi Meal (KRW 11,900). At KRW 7,900 the Pizza Set Meal with a (very) small pizza, small spaghetti, pickles (?), and a soda was an excellent deal.

This pizza set was quite affordable

I had some random meals when out and about (like a quite expensive Ramen at SpaLand) but mostly just bought chips and a soda while sightseeing.

For quite a number of meals I picked up a sandwich or bakery item either at Paris Baguette or a local bakery. These weren’t all that cheap though (the below sandwich came in at KRW 6,500) so eating out at a fast food place or inexpensive eatery wouldn’t have cost much more. Most meals at regular restaurants in the PNU area were around KRW 10,000.

One of my go tos in Busan

I did do a fairly pricey Korean BBQ experience once but have included that in the entertainment category. The nicer restaurants (Shabu-Shabu, All-you-can-eat buffet) in the PNU department store started at around KRW 20,000 for weekdays/lunch. Unfortunately, I never got around to go there!

As always, I bought a fair amount of sodas and a couple of alcoholic beverages. If you are happy drinking water you could shave something off my budget here.

Pretty tasty snack!

I did also buy a fair number of snacks in Busan. For me those often replaced a meal but on the other hand I didn’t really watch my spending there either.

All in all, I spent USD 283 in total for food during the four weeks in Busan. This also included some necessities (like toilet paper) that I didn’t write down separately.

I was suprised that my food budget in Busan wasn’t higher as I had heard that South Korea is expensive. But I think being in the PNU area really helped to keep expenses down. Most will spend a bit more as I do eat less than average and didn’t eat often in proper restaurants. I would guess that the average visitor would spend closer to USD 350 to 400 (especially if staying in a more expensive area)..

Activities and Entertainment

My cost for activities and entertainment in Busan was pretty low at USD 93.63. And it would have been easy to save even more here. Mostly because the vast majority of sights are free – Busan for the win!

The vast majority of sights and activities in Busan are free

So what did I spent my money on? First, I did a Korean BBQ Experience via GetyourGuide which set me back USD 45. Basically, they take you and a small group to a Korean BBQ and help you navigate through the experience.

BBQ is a quintessential Korean experience you should not miss

If you are traveling as a couple, family or group you can definitely do Korean BBQ on your own. It isn’t quite ideal for solo travelers as you may have to order for two people. I have a hard time going into restaurants on my own anyway so I knew I would not manage Korean BBQ solo. Doing the guided experience came at additional cost but at least I was able to check the meal off my bucket list.

The second big entertainment splurge was a purchase of the Visit Busan Pass for 65,000 KRW on Klook. This pass included entry for a total of 5 attractions that you could choose out of a longer list.

Finally, I had two smaller entertainment related expenses, the Sondo Suspension Bridge (1,000 KRW) and the Taejongdae Danubi Train (4,000 KRW). Both would have been included with the Visit Busan Pass. If you have the hour-based version you can save extra money there but with my numbered attractions I decided to use my credits for higher value sights.

All taken together, I spent less than USD 100 and I felt I did quite a number of tourist activities. Most would probably still do a day tour to Gyeongju. I originally planned to do a short mini-vacation there similar to my Hoi An trip but I ran out of time as I couldn’t even manage to see everything I wanted to in Busan itself.

So my guess is that USD 100-200 should cover entertainment cost (without partying) during a Busan visit easily.

Cute sightseeing train!

Miscellaneous

Transportation

Busan has excellent public transportation – safe, frequent, and reliable. In contrast to my time in Da Nang I used no ride-shares/taxis at all.

As I already mentioned in the accomodation section, my apartment near PNU was pretty far from all main attractions so any excursions needed a 60+ minute metro ride. Luckily, the public transit system in Busan is quite inexpensive.

The subway was the fastest way to explore all of Busan

NaverMaps will give you great directions on which train or bus to take and how much it will cost. Most rides are somewhere between KRW 1,600 and KRW 3,000. On average, I probably spent about KRW 3,500 on days I left the immediate area.

One huge advantage in Korea is the convenience – you can buy a T-Money card to load with cash (at machines or convenience stores) and then use the card not only in Busan but all over Korea! So much easier than Bangkok’s complicated system that doesn’t even cover all the metro train lines in the city! The one time cost for a T-Money card is KRW 4,000.

Busan is very walkable as far as safety, smooth sidewalks etc. But the city is extremely spread out so public transit is a must. I enjoy walking but getting from PNU to Haeundae would be a 5+ hour hike so the metro it was.

In four weeks I spent a total of about KRW 58,000 on transportation. This included the trip to and from the airport as well as sight-seeing on 12 days (the remaining days I stayed near PNU).

I would have spent less on transportation if I had stayed either in the Nampo or Haeundae area. However, restaurant prices (and of course accomodation) are more expensive there so that overall I think this was more cost-efficient. I also did not try to minimize transportation cost -sometimes a bus might have been less expensive. However, as the transit overall is so inexpensive it did not seem worth worrying about.

Communication

WIFI worked well at the AirBnB so I only needed mobile data when out and about.

Once again I used an esim card from Saily, just as I had in Thailand and Vietnam. I first bought a one week esim only as I wasn’t sure if it would be a problem not having a local number. Apparently, a local number is necessary for some food delivery apps etc.

However, I never felt the lack of it during the first week so went ahead and got a four week plan for USD 8.99 (3 GB) after. No point messing with something that works!

I do have to say that I was using a lot more data in South Korea than in the other destinations. The 3 GB was still enough for 30 days but only barely. In Thailand and Vietnam I had almost half left over at the end of my stay! The most likely reason is that Naver Maps seems to use a lot of data. The data plan still worked great for me at a low price but if you use more mobile data in general (e.g. for streaming on the go) or if you dont have stable internet, a local sim card with unlimited data may be a better option. Definitely get a bit more data than you would in other locations though!

Laundry

My apartment in Busan had its own washing machine and a drying rack. No extra expense!

bank Fees

I withdrew cash twice during my stay in Busan: once when I arrived at the airport (KRW 150,000) and once near BIFF Square (KRW 200,000). Each time my bank charged me a fee of EUR 2.50. This seems to be the standard fee – not great but not too bad as long as you don’t just take out tiny amounts at a time.

I also used my WOW Pass to convert 150 Euros I had brought with me into KRW or to use it on the card. The Wow Pass worked great and made it easy to pay. Most places cash worked well too though.

I used the Wow Pass as well as the cash to pay for everything aside of my Korean BBQ experience and the Visit Busan pass.

Souvenirs

As usual, I bought very little that could be called a souvenir. The only “fun” purchase I made during my time in Busan was some scented hand creme at the museum shop of Arte Museum for KRW 7,000. I loved the scent in the ocean room (some of the installations work with aromas) so when I saw it in the gift shop I couldn’t resist.

That being said, I may still buy some Korean souvenirs during my remaining time in the country. No point dragging them around – I will pick up anything I might want at the end in Seoul!

Insurance

Probably the MOST IMPORTANT expense on any international trip is decent health insurance. You are always just a small accident or pesky virus away from incurring a huge bill!

Normally, I use an inexpensive annual policy (under $20) for travelling but that only covers trips up to four or six weeks. So for my six months in Asia I signed up for an extended travel insurance policy. I used a German provider as it was the cheapest I could find and paid EUR 55 per month.

However, I believe this can only be bought if your home address is in Germany. For international travellers the most popular health insurance for long-term travelers/digital nomads seems to be Safety Wing. You can use their pricing calculator to get an estimate for your personal budget.

Spring is an excellent time to visit Korea

Total Cost for One Month in Busan

So how much did I spend in total? Below I am adding up all the components mentioned above – I have converted them to USD (and rounded to full dollars) to make it easier to read. Obviously, exchange rates fluctuate etc. but it should give you a general idea of what to expect for a low-key but comfortable life-style.

Total Expenses – 4 weeks	Busan
Accomodation		554
Food		283
Activities and Entertainment
Korean BBQ Experience	45
Visit Busan Pass	45
Entry Fees	4
Total for Activities and Entertainment		94
Miscellaneous
Transportation (without flight to/from Busan)	40
Communication	9
Laundry	–
Bank Fees	6
Souvenirs	5
Total Miscellaneous		60
Insurance		65
TOTAL EXPENSE		1,056

How typical are my Expenses?

Obviously, I don’t know your spending habits. So I can’t say whether USD 1,050 will be enough for you. Here are a couple of things to consider:

• My accomodation cost was on the lower side. My AirBnB was very small and similar to a dorm room. Serviceable but definitely not fancy! And even though I absolutely loved the PNU neighborhood, it is far from the main tourist sights and therefore less expensive. Expect to pay quite a bit more if you want to live in Haeundae or Gwangili instead.
• Check actual prices at AirBnB or hotel websites to see how expensive the accomodation you are looking for will be. This is especially important as prices do fluctuate according to the season.
• I ate a lot of snacks and bakery items! The rest of my meals were at food court restaurants or inexpensive chains. However, the prices for meals in the PNU neighborhood were quite reasonable. You could easily stick to a budget of around KRW 10,000 per meal.
• The two main reasons you might spend more than me is that a) I am not a big eater (a snack like the Cajun Rice Cakes at Mom’s Touch is plenty for me) and b) PNU restaurants have student prices. Prices were quite a bit higher near the beach.
• My transportation cost was probably average for four weeks. I did stay in my local neighborhood about half the time. However, as I was far away from the sights I did have many longer metro trips. Overall, public transit in Busan works very well and is quite inexpensive.
• My expenses for fun and entertainment were average. I did no nightlife and did no out of town day trips. However, I did splurge on a fairly expensive Korean BBQ experience and had a Visit Busan Pass that covered most of the major attractions.
• Expenses for miscellaneous were again low (e.g. almost no shopping).
• Insurance will vary quite a bit but as with accomodation you can get a quote before your trip so won’t be surprised later on.

USD 1,056 was enough for regular life for four weeks in Busan for me. I had a great time and did not feel that I had to skimp. But realistically most will spend a bit more, both for food and accomodation. I would calculate at least USD 1,200-1,400 if you find accomodation at a similar price point to me (to account for more and fancier food). Accomodation prices vary widely depending on size/quality, location, and time of year. To get a good estimate for your budget I would calculate the difference between my rent cost and your planned accomodation costs (based on AirBnB or hotel portals) and add it to the USD 1,200-1,400. I think 1,500 to 2,000 is a fair estimate for a month in Busan for most.

Some Current Prices in Busan

To help you out a bit when you work on your personal budget, I have compiled a short table with average prices for common purchases/expenses (as of April 2026):

Item	Typical Cost in KRW
Single Can of Coca-Cola*	1,500-2,500
Pizza Set at Mall (small pizza, small spaghetti, soda, pickles)	7,900
Bulgogi at Food Court	11,900
Ramen at SpaLand	10,000
Small Caramel Frappuchino Starbucks	6,100
Large Chokki bakery item	4,500
Sandwich at Paris Baguette	6,500
McDonalds French Fries, small	1,500
Wheetbix original	4,590
Water, 500 ml	1,000
Wine (375 ml)	5,990
Vitamins	5,000
ATM Withdrawal Fee	2.50 EURO
Songdo Suspension Bridge	1,000
Songdo Cable Car (Crystal, roundtrip)	24,000
Danubi Train Round-Trip	4,000
T-Money Card Purchase	4,000
Average Metro Ride (one way)	1,600-2,200

*The prices of a can of soda varied widely. Partly because Coca Cola is sold in 250 ml, 330 ml, and 500 ml cans and partly due to a wide variety of sales (multi-packs, 3 for 2 etc.). The price in the table is about how much a single can will cost, depending on size and where you buy it. With multi-packs and sales expect to pay around KRW 1,300 or less for a 250 ml can.

Busan is the perfect mix of nature, history, and modern city

Conclusion

I loved Busan. It has a cool coastal vibe with beautiful nature and plenty of modern city amenities. It reminded me of San Francisco, just cleaner and at a fraction of the price. While not as cheap as some other places in Asia, it wasn’t as expensive as I had expected.

If you find affordable accomodation and stick to cheaper restaurants you don’t need a massive budget for Busan. I was surprised that I spent a lot less than in Bangkok and even a little less than in Chiang Mai! I feel USD 1,056 was a great price for living in a vibrant neighborhood, eating most of my meals out, and exploring the area whenever I felt like it.

Spending less than I did will be difficult unless you find cheaper accomodation (like a hostel). As mentioned before, I don’t have a huge appetite so you will likely spend at least as much and probably a bit more than me for food unless you cook a lot yourself. It would be easy to save money on sightseeing activities though if you stick to the free offering.

Busan was easier on my budget than I had expected. But is Busan an outlier or does the same hold in other locations in Korea? I will soon find out as my next stops are Jeju Island and Seoul!