Budget Traveling in South Korea - My Trip to Busan!

As a college student, traveling can be expensive, really expensive. But that's only if you don't know how to get the most out of your money. In this post, I'll be going over how I spent less than $150 USD while traveling to Busan for 2 days and 3 nights. 

In any travel plan, there are 4 main categories: 

1. Transportation
2. Stay
3. Food
4. Activities

I'll be covering those, as well as my final tips and reflection of the trip. Before we start, my goals for this trip were:

1. Spend as little money as possible
2. Explore Busan's Buddhist temples
3. Relax & Unwind 

Transportation

• Express Bus → 4 - 4.5 hours
• 1 seat → Basic Economy (free seat selection)
• Seoul Express Bus Terminal
  • Seoul Bus Terminal Address: 19-4 Banpo-dong Seocho-gu Seoul)
  • Busan Bus Terminal Address: 133 Nopo-dong Guemjeong-gu Busan
    • Bus Line: Gyeongbu Line
• Website (English translation on top right)
• One way: 26,700 KRW = $18.56
• Subways & Buses Within Busan → ∼12,000 KRW = $8.34

TOTAL: 65,400 KRW = $45.47

The cheapest mode of transportation around Korea is the Express Bus. If you are willing to pay more, you can also take the subway or a plane which is faster. The express bus was quite comfortable and you are able to take luggage, although I traveled with a backpack. I chose the window seat both ways and the sights were amazing. The trip was 4 - 4.5 hours total, with a 15-minute rest stop at a bus transit stop where there are coffee shops, cafeterias, cafés, clean bathrooms, and a convenience store. I had some trouble purchasing the ticket online but luckily you are able to get it in-person at the terminal itself. If you're booking online, make sure to select the Gyeongbu Line as that's the one connecting Seoul and Busan. The price is the same whether you buy it online or in-person. I recommend purchasing the ticket ahead of time to ensure that you get a seat! 

Stay

• Night 1: Jimjilbang (Emerald Spa 24/7 → Just off Exit 4 at Bujeon Station [Line 4]) → 16,000 KRW = $11.12
• Night 2: Temple Stay at Beomeosa Temple → 60,000 KRW (food included) = $41.71
  • Book Here
• Night 3: Jimjilbang (Emerald Spa 24/7) → 16,000 KRW = $11.12

TOTAL: 92,000 = $63.96

This was the most expensive part of my trip, as I did a Temple Stay for one night, which you can read about here. I could have saved on that front but exploring the temple was a Trip Goal. The other two nights, I stayed at a jimjilbang, which is a Korean Spa. Some are open 24/7, where you pay a small fee for communal bathhouses, showers, and sleeping rooms. 

The sleeping rooms at this spa were mixed gender, meaning both men and women sleep in the same room. I wouldn't worry about safety since there are CCTVs in every room and such danger isn't common in Korean Spa culture. When you walk in, they give you a change of clothes, a blanket, two towels, one locker for your shoes, and another for your belongings. Locker rooms, bathhouses, and showers are separated by gender. Since Korean Spas use Ondol, or heated floors, the sleeping rooms are warm and comfortable. Just pick up a sleeping mat (or two), a pillow, and you're set for the night! The saunas and gyms do close around 10 - 11PM so if you want to use them, make sure to get there before. 

My biggest tip for stays across Korea is: find a 24/7 jimjilbang! 

Food

• Meal 1 (Dinner): Convenience store Gimbap at Bus Rest Stop → 3,400 KRW = $2.36
• Meal 2 (Breakfast): Goseong Porridge Restaurant → 6,000 KRW = $4.17
  • Address: 272-1 Bujeon-dong Busanjin-gu Busan
  • Food: Beef & Rice Porridge
• Meal 3 (Dinner):  Beomeosa Temple
  • Bibimbap, vegetable salad, seaweed soup
• Meal 4 (Breakfast): Beomeosa Temple
  • Toast, fruits, rice porridge, beans/nuts salad, miso soup
• Meal 5 (Lunch): Miso Restaurant → 7,000 KRW = $4.87
  • Address: 540-12 U-dong Haeundae-gu Busan
  • Food (buffet): Stir-fried pork, vegetables, kimchi soup, rice
• Meal 6 (Dinner): Yeouiru → 8,000 KRW = $5.56
  • Address: 637-6 Jung-dong Haeundae-gu Busan
  • Shrimp Fried Rice
• Meal 7 (breakfast): Tonkatsu Gimbap → 4,000 KRW = $2.78

TOTAL: 28,400 KRW = $19.74

I usually consider myself a foodie but I was on a budget and food was not a Trip Goal, so the meals were quite modest. As you can see from the list above, I wasn't able to try a lot of foods unique to Busan like grilled clams, fish, or Naengmyeon. One thing I did notice though is that food in Busan is a lot cheaper than in Seoul, if you look the right places. All the places I ate at were visited by local laborers and managed by imos and ajhummas, or aunts and grandmas. Locals that came to eat were all regulars. The food was tasty, the portion sizes were good, and Miso Restaurant was even buffet-style, so it's all-you-can-eat for 7,000 KRW!

*I didn't count the food at Temple Stay since it was included in the 60,000 KRW cost. 

Activities

Free:

• Haeundae Beach
• Cheongsapo Port
• Sky Walks
• Visiting (mostly) any temple
• Camellia Island (Dongbaekseon Island)

Paid: 

• Haeundae Blue Line
  • Beach Train → 8,000 KRW (one-way) = $5.56
• Markets (free if you don't buy anything)
  • 1 Apple → 2,000 KRW = $1.39
• Cafés
  • Cloud → 6,000 KRW = $4.17
    • Address: Haeundae Blue Line Park Mipo Station
  • Café 2 (forgot the name lol) 5,000 KRW = $3.48
    • Address: Haeundae Blue Line Park Mipo Station
  • CheongsapoStation → 7,000 KRW = $4.87
    • Address: 637-3 Jung-dong Haeundae-gu Busan

TOTAL: 28,000 KRW = $19.47

TRIP TOTAL: 213,800 KRW = $148.64

Final Tips: 

1. Set "Trip Goals" so that you (and your friends) know exactly what you want to accomplish. For instance, I wanted to stay at a temple, so I cut down on exploring food and activities this time around. Be aligned on where you're spending the most and the trip's purpose (relaxation, adventure, etc.).  
2. Traveling on a budget comes down to being resourceful, so don't be afraid to ask locals for help. I found the jimjilbang (Korean Spa) I stayed at by asking a security officer at the Busan Bus Terminal who didn't know English. We went back and forth using the Papago translation app until a man walking by who knew some English stopped to help us. The three of us looked for 24/7 spas, chatted for a bit, and the man was kind enough to exchange his Kakao ID with me for further help navigating the city. Even if you don't know Korean, which I don't, people are willing to help. This is especially useful when your map is being weird, which Naver Map (Korean navigation app) often is.
3. Make sure to bring your passport with you. I made the mistake of forgetting my passport, which made it difficult to exchange currency in Busan. Bring your passport for identification purposes!
4. If you're really on a budget like I was, opt for solo travel. When you travel by yourself, you are not bound to others' goals on a trip. Some people may want to eat a wide variety of foods, take a plane, or participate in more ticketed activities, which adds up. When you travel by yourself, you end up saving more money, reaching your goals, and learning independence. If you must travel with a group, make sure your goals are aligned! 

*If you're traveling solo take safety precautions, be smart, and keep people updated on your location. 

Reflection: 

1. I wish I was able to spend more (obviously)! This is my #1 reflection as I love eating, especially foods unique to the place of travel. I also want to go café hopping, shopping, and travel to culture villages and bars -- I will definitely be going back with more funds or at least, reduce spending in another area!
2. If you are planning on staying at a hotel/motel, book in advance. My second night I tried to find a motel, but all the three I went to were fully booked. Make sure to book your stay in advance!
3. I want to explore more places, like culture villages markets, and more! There is so much to do in Busan but since this trip was for relaxing and unwinding, I stuck to mainly one area (Haeundae).
4. Travel with friends! I absolutely love solo traveling but a lot of the activities would be fun with more people! 

I hope this information was helpful, stay on the lookout for more articles as I explore South Korea! Thank you for reading and I look forward to writing more :) 

              - Jayani Jayakanthan