Short answer
The district you pick shapes your commute and your rent. Start with rent, because it is the easiest to check. The tables below use Seoulstart's monthly government records.
- Lowest rent: the officetel table below lists the cheapest districts first.
- Largest foreign resident communities: Nam-gu, Sasang-gu and Gangseo-gu.
- Students: Nam-gu, Sasang-gu and Geumjeong-gu.
- Near the factories and the airport: Gangseo-gu, Saha-gu and Gijang-gun.
- Beach districts: Haeundae-gu and Suyeong-gu.
The rent figures below are for August 2026. Busan's median officetel rent: ₩450,000. For the full city picture, open the Busan rent page.
How to choose a district
Budget. Most homes in Korea are rented as monthly rent (월세, wolse) with a deposit, or as a large lump-sum deposit with no monthly rent (전세, jeonse). Work out your real move-in cost first with the move-in cost tool. Then compare both options with the jeonse vs wolse tool. Read How Korean Housing Works if the terms are new.
Commute. Busan Metro has four lines (1, 2, 3 and 4). Stations announce destinations in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. The Busan-Gimhae Light Rail Transit and Korail's Donghae Line also serve the city. The Donghae Line commuter service runs from Bujeon to Taehwagang. Gimhae International Airport is inside Busan, in Gangseo-gu. We have not measured commute times for this guide. Check the door-to-door time on a map app at the hour you will travel.
Community. Some districts have large communities from one country. Vietnam is the largest single group in 10 of Busan's 16 districts in the MOIS count. Nam-gu has a large Nepali community, and Haeundae-gu and Suyeong-gu have many US nationals. Dong-gu's largest group is Russian nationals of Korean heritage. The government counts below show where people live. They do not rate a district.
Family needs. The largest districts by population are Haeundae-gu and Busanjin-gu. We do not list schools by district because we have no verified list. Ask each school about admission before you rent.
Students. Nam-gu, Sasang-gu and Geumjeong-gu have the most international students. If you are looking at an officetel (오피스텔) near campus, read the officetel guide first.
Port and factory workers. The most foreign workers (외국인근로자) in Busan live in Gangseo-gu, Saha-gu and Gijang-gun. If your job is outside the city, read Renting Near Korea's Industrial Cities.
All 16 districts compared by rent
This table shows the median monthly rent for officetels in every Busan district, lowest first. An officetel is a studio-style unit that mixes living and office zoning.
| Area | Monthly rent | Deposit | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gijang-gun, Busan | ₩380,000 | ₩5m | 33 |
| Seo-gu, Busan | ₩400,000 | ₩10m | 81 |
| Saha-gu, Busan | ₩400,000 | ₩5m | 60 |
| Sasang-gu, Busan | ₩400,000 | ₩10m | 96 |
| Yeonje-gu, Busan | ₩415,000 | ₩10m | 136 |
| Buk-gu, Busan | ₩435,000 | ₩5m | 22 |
| Nam-gu, Busan | ₩440,000 | ₩10m | 87 |
| Yeongdo-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩5m | 17 |
| Haeundae-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩5m | 237 |
| Geumjeong-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩10m | 53 |
| Gangseo-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩5m | 82 |
| Jung-gu, Busan | ₩470,000 | ₩10m | 76 |
| Suyeong-gu, Busan | ₩480,000 | ₩5m | 144 |
| Dongnae-gu, Busan | ₩490,000 | ₩10m | 88 |
| Dong-gu, Busan | ₩500,000 | ₩5m | 91 |
| Busanjin-gu, Busan | ₩500,000 | ₩10m | 398 |
Medians of contracts reported in August 2026. Rent figures are for new leases, the price someone moving in signs; where fewer than 10 new leases were reported, all leases are used. Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport real transaction records (국토교통부 실거래가), processed by Seoulstart. Updated monthly.
Medians come from reported contracts. A district with few contracts can jump from month to month, so open its rent page before you decide.
Rent depends on the type of home. Here are the medians for Busan as a whole:
| Home type | Monthly rent | Deposit | Jeonse deposit | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment | ₩550,000 | ₩20m | ₩240m | 59.9 m² |
| Officetel | ₩450,000 | ₩10m | ₩150m | 26.4 m² |
| Villa or row house | ₩350,000 | ₩5m | ₩93m | 18.9 m² |
Medians of contracts reported in August 2026. Rent figures are for new leases, the price someone moving in signs; where fewer than 10 new leases were reported, all leases are used. Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport real transaction records (국토교통부 실거래가), processed by Seoulstart. Updated monthly.
Looking for an apartment instead? Here are apartment rents for every district:
| Area | Monthly rent | Deposit | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jung-gu, Busan | Too few | 4 | |
| Gijang-gun, Busan | ₩310,000 | ₩23.2m | 208 |
| Geumjeong-gu, Busan | ₩400,000 | ₩17.5m | 56 |
| Yeongdo-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩10m | 49 |
| Saha-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩20m | 110 |
| Sasang-gu, Busan | ₩450,000 | ₩20m | 91 |
| Busanjin-gu, Busan | ₩500,000 | ₩10m | 272 |
| Buk-gu, Busan | ₩500,000 | ₩20m | 79 |
| Dongnae-gu, Busan | ₩630,000 | ₩40m | 109 |
| Dong-gu, Busan | ₩650,000 | ₩20m | 41 |
| Yeonje-gu, Busan | ₩650,000 | ₩30m | 103 |
| Gangseo-gu, Busan | ₩700,000 | ₩30m | 93 |
| Suyeong-gu, Busan | ₩700,000 | ₩30m | 106 |
| Nam-gu, Busan | ₩900,000 | ₩30m | 117 |
| Haeundae-gu, Busan | ₩900,000 | ₩30m | 193 |
| Seo-gu, Busan | ₩1,000,000 | ₩30m | 35 |
Medians of contracts reported in August 2026. Rent figures are for new leases, the price someone moving in signs; where fewer than 10 new leases were reported, all leases are used. Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport real transaction records (국토교통부 실거래가), processed by Seoulstart. Updated monthly.
If you plan to buy, here are apartment sale medians, highest first:
| Area | Median sale price | Typical size | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suyeong-gu, Busan | ₩700m | 84.6 m² | 122 |
| Dongnae-gu, Busan | ₩530m | 84.9 m² | 165 |
| Yeonje-gu, Busan | ₩529.5m | 84.3 m² | 154 |
| Nam-gu, Busan | ₩509m | 77.5 m² | 187 |
| Haeundae-gu, Busan | ₩469.5m | 84.6 m² | 272 |
| Seo-gu, Busan | ₩402.9m | 83.5 m² | 64 |
| Busanjin-gu, Busan | ₩385m | 74.7 m² | 285 |
| Gangseo-gu, Busan | ₩380m | 84.3 m² | 111 |
| Geumjeong-gu, Busan | ₩336.3m | 84 m² | 110 |
| Dong-gu, Busan | ₩330m | 84.6 m² | 29 |
| Buk-gu, Busan | ₩310m | 83.1 m² | 221 |
| Gijang-gun, Busan | ₩292.5m | 79.8 m² | 110 |
| Yeongdo-gu, Busan | ₩191.5m | 60.6 m² | 40 |
| Jung-gu, Busan | ₩173.5m | 65.9 m² | 10 |
| Sasang-gu, Busan | ₩172m | 60 m² | 90 |
| Saha-gu, Busan | ₩148m | 60 m² | 207 |
Medians of contracts reported in August 2026. Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport real transaction records (국토교통부 실거래가), processed by Seoulstart. Updated monthly.
To see the reported contracts month by month, open the price explorer. The guide to checking real transaction prices shows how to read them.
East coast
Haeundae-gu (해운대구)
Haeundae-gu has the most people of any Busan district: 381,936 at the end of 2024. It had 6,783 foreign residents in late 2024 (1.85% of the district). China (716), Vietnam (681) and the US (552) were the largest groups. Its foreign resident count fell 1.8% from 2022 to 2023, one of 11 districts in Korea that declined. Median officetel rent: ₩450,000. Median apartment rent: ₩900,000. See the Haeundae-gu rent page.
Suyeong-gu (수영구)
Suyeong-gu is small in area (10.22 km²) and had 174,124 people at the end of 2024. It had 2,853 foreign residents in late 2024 (1.70%). China (268), the US (252) and Vietnam (246) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩480,000. See the Suyeong-gu rent page.
Gijang-gun (기장군)
Gijang-gun is Busan's only county and its largest area (218.34 km²). It had 4,609 foreign residents in late 2024 (2.66%), including 1,648 foreign workers. Vietnam (671), Thailand (472) and Indonesia (331) were the largest groups. As a county, Gijang-gun has lower deposit protection amounts than the rest of Busan (see the deposit section below). Median officetel rent: ₩380,000. See the Gijang-gun rent page.
Central Busan
Busanjin-gu (부산진구)
Busanjin-gu is the second-largest district, with 362,839 people at the end of 2024. It had 5,570 foreign residents in late 2024 (1.56%) and 1,056 international students. Vietnam (973) and China (520) were the largest groups. Dong-eui University is in Gaya-dong. Median officetel rent: ₩500,000. See the Busanjin-gu rent page.
Yeonje-gu (연제구)
Yeonje-gu has two of the city's support centers. The Busan Global Center is one minute on foot from City Hall Station on Line 1. The Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers is on Yeonsu-ro. The district had 2,082 foreign residents in late 2024 (1.00%). Median officetel rent: ₩415,000. See the Yeonje-gu rent page.
Dongnae-gu (동래구)
Dongnae-gu had 275,848 people at the end of 2024. Its foreign resident share was the lowest in Busan in late 2024: 2,486 people, or 0.94%. Vietnam (242) and China (225) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩490,000. See the Dongnae-gu rent page.
South and the university belt
Nam-gu (남구)
Nam-gu had the most foreign residents in Busan in late 2024: 10,307 (3.96%). It also had the most international students: 5,169. Pukyong National University's Daeyeon and Yongdang campuses are both here. China (1,683), Vietnam (1,679) and Nepal (1,386) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩440,000. See the Nam-gu rent page.
Geumjeong-gu (금정구)
Geumjeong-gu is home to Pusan National University's Busan campus in Jangjeon-dong. It had 2,953 international students and 6,680 foreign residents in late 2024 (3.10%). China (1,586) and Vietnam (896) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩450,000. See the Geumjeong-gu rent page.
Old downtown and the port
Jung-gu (중구)
Jung-gu is the smallest district by population, with 40,346 people at the end of 2024. Its foreign resident share was the highest in Busan in late 2024: 3,278 people, or 8.28%. Vietnam (938), Myanmar (416) and Indonesia (398) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩470,000. See the Jung-gu rent page.
Dong-gu (동구)
Dong-gu had 3,244 foreign residents in late 2024 (3.79%). Its largest group was Russian nationals of Korean heritage (290), followed by the Philippines (266) and China (252). Median officetel rent: ₩500,000. See the Dong-gu rent page.
Seo-gu (서구)
Seo-gu had 3,922 foreign residents in late 2024 (3.79%) and 1,040 international students. Vietnam (1,317) and Indonesia (536) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩400,000. See the Seo-gu rent page.
Yeongdo-gu (영도구)
Yeongdo-gu is home to Korea Maritime and Ocean University in Dongsam-dong. It had 3,806 foreign residents in late 2024 (3.56%), including 1,032 foreign workers. Vietnam (787), Indonesia (411) and Thailand (318) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩450,000. See the Yeongdo-gu rent page.
West and the industrial side
Sasang-gu (사상구)
Sasang-gu had 10,250 foreign residents in late 2024 (5.00%), the second most in Busan, and 3,282 international students. Dongseo University and the Busan Foreign Residents Center are both here. Vietnam (2,702) and China (1,722) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩400,000. See the Sasang-gu rent page.
Saha-gu (사하구)
Saha-gu had 298,201 people at the end of 2024. It had 8,757 foreign residents in late 2024 (2.99%), including 2,396 foreign workers. Dong-A University's main Seunghak campus is here. Vietnam (1,364), Thailand (820) and Indonesia (607) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩400,000. See the Saha-gu rent page.
Gangseo-gu (강서구)
Gangseo-gu had the most foreign workers in Busan in late 2024: 5,259. It had 9,246 foreign residents in total (6.34%), and its count grew 19.0% from 2022 to 2023. Gimhae International Airport is here. Vietnam (1,664), Thailand (942) and Indonesia (784) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩450,000. See the Gangseo-gu rent page.
Buk-gu (북구)
Buk-gu had 270,127 people at the end of 2024. It had 4,669 foreign residents in late 2024 (1.76%) and 945 international students. Vietnam (1,328) and Thailand (532) were the largest groups. Median officetel rent: ₩435,000. See the Buk-gu rent page.
For more on daily life in Busan, see the Busan neighborhood page.
How much of your deposit the law protects
If a landlord's home goes to auction, small-deposit priority repayment (소액보증금 최우선변제) lets some tenants get part of their deposit back before other creditors. The amounts in Busan come from the Housing Lease Protection Act Enforcement Decree (주택임대차보호법 시행령):
| Where you rent | Total deposit must be | Protected amount |
|---|---|---|
| Busan's 15 districts (metropolitan city, 광역시) | ₩85 million or less | Up to ₩28 million |
| Gijang-gun (county, 군) | ₩75 million or less | Up to ₩25 million |
The protected amount cannot be more than half the home's value. If several tenants live in one home, they share that half. The amount that applies can also depend on when the landlord's mortgage was registered. Check a home with the deposit safety tool and read How to Avoid Deposit Scams before you pay.
A note for buyers
Two rules that limit buyers in Seoul do not apply in Busan.
- No foreigner permit. MOLIT Notice 2026-1105 sets the foreigner land transaction permit zone (외국인 토지거래허가구역) from August 26, 2026 to August 25, 2027. It covers Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon. Busan is not listed.
- Not a regulated area. In June and September 2022, the government lifted regulated-area designations (조정대상지역, 투기과열지구) from every area outside the capital region except Sejong. The October 15, 2025 measures designated only all 25 Seoul districts and 12 Gyeonggi areas. No Busan area was named.
Read Buying Property in Korea for the full process.
How to check a specific building before signing
A district is only the first filter. Before you pay a deposit:
- Open the district's rent page and compare the asking rent with the median for the same home type.
- Ask the agent for the registry record (등기부등본) and read who owns the home and what debts are on it. Use the lease documents checklist to see what else to ask for.
- Run the home through the deposit safety tool.
- Use the move-in cost tool to add the deposit, fees and first month.
- Walk the route from the home to the nearest station at the time you will travel.
- Read Renting an Apartment in Korea before you sign.
Where to get help in your language
By phone. The Busan Foreign Residents Call Center is 1600-0051. It answers in 9 languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Russian, Uzbek, Indonesian and Ukrainian. Hours are Sunday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00. It is closed on Saturdays and public holidays. On Sundays it takes basic requests in Korean, Myanmar, Chinese and Vietnamese only. The Busan 120 Call Center (dial 120) answers in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian and Uzbek on weekdays. The Immigration Contact Center (1345) covers 20 languages.
In person.
- Busan Global Center (부산글로벌센터): 13th floor, National Pension Service Building, 1000 Jungang-daero, Yeonje-gu. Tel (051) 711-6878. Its phone counseling line, 1577-7716, runs Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Professional counseling on legal issues, wages, employment and real estate needs a reservation.
- Busan International Students Support Center: in the same building. Call 1577-7716 on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Uzbek or Indonesian.
- Busan Foreign Residents Center (부산외국인주민지원센터): 3rd floor, Busan Bank Mora Branch, 448 Sasang-ro, Sasang-gu. Modeok Station Exit 4, Line 2. Open Monday to Friday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Saturday. Tel (051) 304-0900.
- Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers (부산외국인근로자지원센터): for E-9 and H-2 visa holders. Basement 1, Workers' Welfare Center, 86 Yeonsu-ro, Yeonje-gu. Open Sunday to Thursday, 09:00 to 18:00. Tel 051-868-7606.
Data note
Foreign resident counts are from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) 2024 report, which counts residents as of November 1, 2024. MOIS defines foreign residents as foreign nationals, naturalized citizens and the children of foreign residents. MOIS lists Chinese nationals of Korean heritage (중국(한국계)) separately from other Chinese nationals; the China figures in this guide exclude them. The 2022 to 2023 growth figures come from the MOIS 2023 report and show a trend only. District populations are from Busan Metropolitan City as of December 31, 2024. The two sources use different population bases, so each foreign resident share in this guide uses the MOIS base. Rent and sale figures come from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (국토교통부) real transaction records, processed monthly by Seoulstart. For the full Busan picture, open the Busan rent page.