Which place is cheaper, Melbourne or Busan (Pusan)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne, 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 Melbourne?
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.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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 Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia.
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Busan (Pusan) Prices
South Korea PricesMelbourne Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBusan (Pusan) $96Melbourne $213
The average daily cost (per person) in Busan (Pusan) is $96, while the average daily cost in Melbourne is $213. 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 Melbourne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBusan (Pusan) $36Melbourne $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBusan (Pusan) $72Melbourne $260
Compare Hotels in Busan (Pusan) and Melbourne
Looking for a hotel in Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne? 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.
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 and Melbourne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Busan (Pusan) $19Melbourne $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Busan (Pusan)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Busan (Pusan):
- Private Transfer from Busan hotels to Busan Cruise Port: $65
- Private Transfer from Busan Port to Busan Gimhae Int Airport(PUS): $65
- Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan city hotels: $65
- Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan Hotels: $65
- Private Transfer – Anywhere in Busan, including Airport & Station: $64
- Private Airport, Train Station & Hotel Transfer Service in Busan: $80
- Busan Private Transfer: Airport & KTX Stn. to/from Hotel in Busan: $79
- Busan Gimhae Airport (PUS) to Busan - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $135
- Busan Gimhae Airport (PUS) to Busan - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Melbourne Airport: Express Bus Transfer to/from City Center: $16
- Express Bus Transfer to or from Melbourne City Center: $21
- Melbourne Airport(Tullamarine): Shared Transfer to Melbourne: $32
- Melbourne CBD/City to MEL Airport Private Transfer 4 or more: $33
- Melbourne Airport to City/CBD Private transfers 4 or more: $33
- MEL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $40
- Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to City Centre/St Kilda/Hawthorne: $45
- Airport to City Private Transfer (One-way): $66
- Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) Private one way transfer: $75
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Port to Melbourne Airport (MEL): $80
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Melbourne Port: $80
- Nighttime Private City Tour with Transfer & Stops: $81
Is it cheaper to fly into Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne?
Prices for flights to both Melbourne 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
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Food Meals for one dayBusan (Pusan) $41Melbourne $57
Typical Food Prices in Busan (Pusan)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Busan (Pusan) are as follows:
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McDonald's$4.10
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Carp Bread$0.66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Busan (Pusan)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Busan (Pusan).
- Busan Traditional Market Food Tour: $47
- Busan Market Tour Cooking Class and Games: $70
- Kimchi Kitchens Busan Food Tour with 10+ Tastings: $88
- Busan Tailored Korean cooking class (Vegan OK)with market tour: $90
- Busan Local Food Cooking Class with Market Tour: $104
- Korean cooking class in Haeundae, Busan: $104
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.85
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Pizza$4.99
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Multicultural Markets Food Tour – Melbourne’s Global Tastes: $56
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $87
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Melbourne Food Tour with 8+ Food Tastings in Hidden Laneways: $118
- Yarra Valley Full Day Grazing Tour: Gin, Wine, Pizza, Cheese: $125
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Busan (Pusan) $18Melbourne $30
Tours and Activities in Busan (Pusan)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Busan (Pusan) are as follows:
- (Guaranteed Return) Busan Shore Excursion for Cruise Guests: $66
- (On-Time Return) Busan Cruise Shore Excursion for Small Group: $89
- (Return Assurance) Busan Small Group Cruise Shore Excursion: $85
- Authentic Busan Full-Day City Highlights Tour: $31
- Busan 9 Highlights Tour: $40
- Busan City Tour Including Haedong Yonggungsa Temple And APEC House: $290
- Busan Cruise Port – Premium Small Group Tour (Max 6 Guests): $99
- Busan Cruise Shore Excursion: City Highlights and Food Taste Tour: $73
- Busan Day Tour with Pickup at the KTX Station-Family Couple Alone: $76
- Busan Dynamic Maze Discount Ticket Foreigner Only: $12
- Busan Food Market Tour Seafoods and Street Foods: $52
- Busan Group Tour for Cruise ship passengers (Max 12 Guests): $85
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Melbourne (St Kilda) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.47
- Marvellous A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.92
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Self Guided Walking Tour in Melbourne St Kilda Penguins: $9.99
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $12
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $12
- Ghosts, Murder, and Mystery Self-Guided Walking Tour: $12
- English Melbourne Walking Tour: $18
- Melbourne Museum Guided Tour with Entry Ticket: $19
- Melbourne City Highlights Express Cruise: $19
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBusan (Pusan) $11Melbourne $18
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 with Traditional Korean Pub Experience: $23
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.52
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Saturday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $19
- Tuesday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $19
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $19
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Rock'n'roll venues pub crawl including 2 free drinks and history: $58
- Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley.: $74
- Relaxed Half Day Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Melbourne: $79
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Gin, Cider & Chocolate: $84
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Busan (Pusan) and Melbourne, we can see that Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 1% larger than the population of Busan (Pusan). When comparing the sizes of Busan (Pusan) and Melbourne, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Melbourne is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Busan (Pusan) has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne in the Summer?
Both Melbourne and Busan (Pusan) during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, most visitors come to Melbourne for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Busan (Pusan) is a little warmer than Melbourne in the summer. The daily temperature in Busan (Pusan) averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Melbourne fluctuates around 20°C (68°F)in January.
In Melbourne, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Busan (Pusan) often gets less sunshine than Melbournein January. Busan (Pusan) gets 166 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Melbourne receives 271 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Busan (Pusan). Busan (Pusan) usually gets more rain in July than Melbournein January. Busan (Pusan) gets 257 mm (10.1 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryBusan (Pusan) 25°C (77°F)Melbourne 20°C (68°F)
Should I visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Busan (Pusan) and Melbourne. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Melbourne because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
In the autumn, Busan (Pusan) is a little warmer than Melbourne. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Busan (Pusan) in October average around 18°C (65°F), and Melbourne averages at about 15°C (60°F)in April.
In Busan (Pusan), it's very sunny this time of the year. Busan (Pusan) usually receives more sunshine than Melbourne during autumn. Busan (Pusan) gets 202 hours of sunny skies, while Melbourne receives 170 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Busan (Pusan) usually receives more rain than Melbournein April. Busan (Pusan) gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilBusan (Pusan) 18°C (65°F)Melbourne 15°C (60°F)
Should I visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Busan (Pusan) as well as Melbourne. Additionally, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Melbourne this time of year.
The weather in Busan (Pusan) can be very cold. In January, Busan (Pusan) is generally much colder than Melbournein July. Daily temperatures in Busan (Pusan) average around 3°C (38°F), and Melbourne fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Busan (Pusan) this time of the year. In the winter, Busan (Pusan) often gets more sunshine than Melbournein July. Busan (Pusan) gets 200 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Melbourne receives 139 hours of full sun.
Busan (Pusan) usually gets less rain in January than Melbournein July. Busan (Pusan) gets 32 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyBusan (Pusan) 3°C (38°F)Melbourne 9°C (49°F)
Should I visit Busan (Pusan) or Melbourne in the Spring?
Both Melbourne and Busan (Pusan) are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Melbourne for the beaches and the activities around the city.
Busan (Pusan) is around the same temperature as Melbourne in the spring. The daily temperature in Busan (Pusan) averages around 14°C (57°F) in April, and Melbourne fluctuates around 14°C (57°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Melbourne. Busan (Pusan) usually receives less sunshine than Melbourne during spring. Busan (Pusan) gets 196 hours of sunny skies, while Melbourne receives 216 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Busan (Pusan). In April, Busan (Pusan) usually receives more rain than Melbournein October. Busan (Pusan) gets 148 mm (5.8 in) of rain, while Melbourne receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberBusan (Pusan) 14°C (57°F)Melbourne 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Melbourne and Busan (Pusan)
| Busan (Pusan) | Melbourne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (38°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (40°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 18°C (65°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (80°F) | 204 mm (8 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (65°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Dec | 6°C (43°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.