A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Busan (Pusan) vs. Aoraki Mount Cook for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Busan (Pusan) or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Busan (Pusan) or Aoraki Mount Cook, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Busan (Pusan) or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Busan (Pusan)

An important port city in South Korea, Busan is known for its beaches, mountains, and temples. With a thriving harbor, the city's main revenue comes from international shipping, although the area is quite popular with tourists from all over the globe, too. The place is bustling with sailors from around the world as well as tourists who come to enjoy the culture of this modern and dynamic city.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to South Korea, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Busan (Pusan)?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Busan (Pusan) is $86, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Busan (Pusan) and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Busan (Pusan) $39
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Busan (Pusan) $78
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Busan (Pusan) and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Busan (Pusan) or Aoraki Mount Cook? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Busan (Pusan)


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Busan (Pusan) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Busan (Pusan) $20
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Busan (Pusan)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Busan (Pusan):

  • Busan Airport to Busan Hotels Round-Trip Private Transfer: $120
  • Busan Gimhae Int Airport(PUS) to Busan - Arrival Private Transfer: $119
  • Busan to Busan Gimhae Airport (PUS) - Departure Private Transfer: $119
  • Private Transfer from Busan hotels to Busan Cruise Port: $84
  • Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan Hotels: $84
  • Private Transfer from Busan Gimhae Int Airport(PUS) to Busan Port: $79

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also for Aoraki Mount Cook, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Dunedin City Hotels to Chalmers Cruise Port: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Busan (Pusan) or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Busan (Pusan) change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Busan (Pusan) $26
    Aoraki Mount Cook $26
Typical Food Prices in Busan (Pusan)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Busan (Pusan) are as follows:


  • McDonald's
    $4.48
  • Carp Bread
    $0.72

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Busan (Pusan)

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Busan (Pusan).

  • Busan history and market food tour with local chef: $49
  • Korean cooking class in Haeundae, Busan : $95
  • Busan Seafood Tour & Dinner with Busan Oppa: $105
  • Kkakdugi(Korean radish Kimchi) Cooking class at Busan : $110
  • Enjoy tailored Korean cooking class with Ocean view at Busan: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Busan (Pusan) $20
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Busan (Pusan)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Busan (Pusan) are as follows:

  • Full Day Private Guided Tour in Hidden Spot, Daegu: $180
  • 2-Day Busan East and South Private Tour: $300
  • 4Hour Tour From Seokbulsa Temple To Geumjeongsan Fortress: $90
  • Adventures in Blossoms: Daegu E-World Cherry Blossoms Tour: $77
  • Beomeosa Temple and Hongbeopsa Temple Tour and local market tour: $81
  • Busan City Tour - Haedong Yonggung Temple And Shopping in Lotte Premium Outlet: $289
  • Busan City Tour Including Haedong Yonggungsa Temple And APEC House: $290
  • Busan Custom-made Car Tour (Private Tour): $187
  • Busan Essential Private Tour with Heaedong Yonggungsa and Gamcheon Village: $240
  • Busan Glowing Panorama Private Night Tour for Max 6 Guests: $300
  • Busan Guided Small Group Tour for Up to 6 Cruise Guests.: $99
  • Busan Hidden Gems Private Guided Tour: $89

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Lake Matheson Nature Tour: $55
  • Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $55
  • Mt. Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (1-way) : $106
  • From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour 1 way: $121
  • Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $152
  • Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $152
  • Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $152
  • (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
  • Gold Hunting Adventures: $225
  • 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $290

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Busan (Pusan) $12
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Busan (Pusan)

Also in Busan (Pusan), these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Busan Pub Crawl: $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
  • Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $46
  • Wild Irishman Wine Tasting Experience: $46


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Busan (Pusan) and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Busan (Pusan) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Busan (Pusan) is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Busan (Pusan) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Busan (Pusan) and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook than you might in Busan (Pusan).

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Busan (Pusan) Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.