study in Busan
Korea's second city and its largest port — coastal, milder in winter, noticeably cheaper than Seoul, with a more relaxed pace.
Busan is the counterweight to Seoul: a coastal city built along beaches and hills at the southern tip of the peninsula, with a major international port and a distinctly more relaxed character than the capital.
Its economic identity follows the port — shipping, logistics, marine engineering and international trade — alongside a growing film and tourism sector. Living costs are meaningfully below Seoul and the winters are the mildest in mainland Korea, which is a real saving on heating and clothing.
The trade is corporate job-market depth. Most large Korean employers recruit into Seoul, so graduates in some fields relocate. For the study years, Busan is more affordable and more comfortable.
Several universities, including one large national university and a specialist maritime institution.
Pusan National University
The region's leading national university; engineering, medicine, business and the humanities.Korea Maritime and Ocean University
Specialist; marine engineering, shipping, logistics and ocean sciences.Busan costs less than Seoul on housing and daily spending, and the milder winter removes a heating cost the capital imposes. University dormitories remain the route that avoids a large rental deposit.
Against the other cities we cover in South Korea, Busan is mid-range. That is our reading of this country’s own spread, not a published index.
The financial evidence a D-2 visa requires is set by your university and the local immigration office.
The practical texture of the place — what a week actually looks like.
Climate
The mildest in mainland Korea — coastal, with warmer winters and hot humid summers. Less winter cost than Seoul or Daejeon.
Getting around
A subway network and buses on a T-money card, in a city stretched along the coast. High-speed rail to Seoul in around two and a half hours.
Housing
Cheaper than Seoul, with dormitory places available at the universities — the way to avoid a large refundable deposit.
Working
Permission required, hours tied to TOPIK level. Tourism, hospitality and port-adjacent logistics are the common part-time roles.
Language
Less English than Seoul, and a distinct regional dialect. Korean matters more here for both work and daily life.
The coast
Beaches within the city and mountains behind it — the cheapest recreation available, and a genuine quality-of-life difference from Seoul.
As across Korea, part-time work requires prior permission, with hours tied to your TOPIK level and academic standing — and Busan's stronger regional dialect makes conversational Korean matter more, not less.
The practical plan is the same everywhere in Korea and it starts before you fly: study Korean in Nepal, sit TOPIK early, and treat each level as an increase in your permitted earning capacity. Busan's lower costs mean those permitted hours stretch further than they would in Seoul — which is the whole argument for choosing it.
Busan is one of 3 cities we cover in South Korea. Tap any pin to compare — the city you pick moves your total cost more than almost any other choice you make.