City guide
Teach English in Busan, South Korea
Beach city with lower competition than Seoul and a tight expat community.
Busan offers a slower-paced alternative to Seoul. Hagwons are concentrated in Haeundae and Seomyeon. Pay is roughly equivalent to Seoul, but cost of living is lower and the beach is 20 minutes from most teaching jobs. The market is smaller in absolute terms, which cuts both ways: fewer openings at any given moment, and noticeably fewer applicants per opening than Gangnam sees.
Moving to South Korea? Visa and cost guide →
Neighborhoods
Haeundae for the beach and the premium hagwons that sit behind it. Seomyeon for the densest cluster of academies and the shortest commutes. Gwangalli for a quieter coastal base that is still on the subway. Nampo-dong and the old downtown for lower rent and a more Korean day-to-day.
Cost of living
Roughly 1.3M to 1.9M KRW a month outside housing, below Seoul on rent and eating out. Housing is usually covered by the contract, as it is nationwide. The KTX to Seoul takes about two and a half hours, which is the trade for the lower cost.
Best for
Teachers who want a coastal lifestyle and a smaller expat network where you actually know people, and who would rather compete against fewer applicants than have the maximum number of listings to choose from.
South Korea at a glance
Salary: Public schools (EPIK): roughly 2.2M to 2.8M KRW per month with housing provided by the office of education (Seoul has its own scale; source: EPIK pay page, checked 6 Oct 2026). Hagwons: 2.1M to 2.8M KRW with housing or stipend. Universities: 2.3M to 3.5M KRW with shorter contact hours.
Visa: E-2 visa for most roles. Requires a bachelor's degree, a clean criminal record check, and citizenship from one of seven approved countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa). A TEFL certificate of 100 hours or more is the usual expectation (EPIK's minimum is 100 real-time hours, and it is waived for a teaching licence or an education degree).
Full South Korea guide →Open positions in Busan
3 active listings mentioning Busan.
[Now Hiring] Teach English In Korea | Seoul, Busan & Nationwide | 2.6m+ Krw | Oct 2026–Mar 2027
ASK-Now Inc. · South Korea · Full-time
March position! Busan Gwanganli Beach kindy job!
NamcheonWonderland · Busan (Gwanganli Beach) · Contract
Teaching Position Near Beautiful Dadaepo Beach in Busan
Huston Academy · Dadaepo, Saha-gu, Busan, South Korea · Full-time
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What you need to teach in Busan
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