Seoul vs Busan
The short answer
Busan is the cheaper trip, by roughly 18% a day — $65–130 against $80–160 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in May, Oct, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇰🇷 Seoul | 🇰🇷 Busan | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $80–160 | $65–130cheaper |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $5–8 | $4.50–7.50 |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $70–140 | $55–115cheaper |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $1.05–1.20 | $0.95–1.05 |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $2,730 | ≈ $2,450 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇰🇷 Seoul
Six-hundred-year-old palaces between glass towers, mountains at the end of the subway line, and a city that genuinely does not sleep. The easiest big Asian city for a first-timer, and cheaper than Tokyo.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace$Palaces & history
- Gwangjang Market$Markets & food
- Hongdae$Neighbourhoods
- Jjimjilbang$Korean experiences
- Changdeokgung & the Secret Garden$Palaces & history
🇰🇷 Busan
Korea's port city and second capital — beaches at the end of the metro line, a hillside village painted every colour, and the country's best raw fish. Slower and warmer than Seoul in every sense.
- Gamcheon Culture Village$Views & neighbourhoods
- Haeundae Beach$Beaches & coast
- Jagalchi Fish Market$$Markets & food
- Gyeongju$$Day trips
- Haedong Yonggungsa$Views & neighbourhoods
Practicalities
| Seoul | Busan | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Korean. English signage is excellent on transport and at sights; conversational English is patchier than in Japan's tourist areas | Korean, in a distinct southern dialect locals are proud of. Less English than Seoul outside Haeundae |
| Currency | Korean won (₩). Around ₩1,450 = $1 in mid-2026, but the won moves — check before you convert | Korean won (₩), around ₩1,450 = $1 in mid-2026 |
| Power | 220V, Type C/F — the round two-pin European plug, not the flat Japanese one | 220V, Type C/F — round two-pin European plug |
| Tap water | Safe to drink, though most Koreans drink filtered water at home and from office dispensers | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 112 police · 119 fire and ambulance · 1330 tourist helpline (24h, English) | 112 police · 119 fire and ambulance · 1330 tourist helpline (English, 24h) |
The same in both:
- Time zone
- KST (UTC+9). No daylight saving