Breaking Down My Weekly Study Abroad Budget

Somewhere between my 6th gacha machine and my 5th Olive Young visit, I realized that I might have been a little too relaxed with my spending. With the Korean won dropping against the dollar, it is dangerously easy to justify every purchase with the thought: “It’s much cheaper here than back home.”

While money does stretch further here, cheaper doesn’t mean free. Those small splurges stack up fast~

I took a step back and asked myself: What does a reasonable weekly budget actually look like for me?

When I have heavier homework weeks, I spend less money (less time for fun). During my too much fun weeks? Well… let’s just say my bank account and my conscience were both struggling. 

Here’s what my budget-conscious weekly spending looks like now:

1. Transportation

   I bought a Climate Card. It provides unlimited access to Seoul’s buses and subways for 30 days. Best purchase if you commute to campus and plan on exploring the city during your free time.

   Cost: 60,000 KRW per month ≈ $42.54 ≈ $10.64 per week

2. Monday - Thursday Meals

   I’m not usually a breakfast person. But on early class days, a breakfast sandwich calls my name: 

   Breakfast (2 days a week): 5,000 KRW each ≈ $3.22 → ≈ $6.44 per week

   Lunch on campus is very affordable:

   Lunch (4 days): 7,000 KRW each ≈ $4.78 → ≈ $19.12 per week

   Dinner varies more:

   Dinner near campus: 9,000–14,000 KRW ≈ $7–$11 → ≈ $32–44 per week

   And here’s where discipline disappears… I may have an iced lemon tea problem

   In the U.S., refreshments are easily $7+. In Korea, my go-to lemon tea refresher is ~3,000 KRW ($2). How could I say no?

   If I buy 3–4 a week: ≈ $6–8

3. Friday - Sunday Meals and Activities

   This is where things get risky. No class and a big city to explore means that there are spending temptations everywhere.

   I will usually buy lunch and dinner off campus on these days for ≈ $8 each meal → ≈ $48 per weekend

   Add in shopping streets, street foods, photobooks, late-night convenience store snacks…yeah. Do you see where the problem comes in?

In total, this gives me a weekly total of $122.20 (when I behave).

Now, compared to Boston– where a single meal can easily hit $25 (with delivery fees, tipping culture, and the obligatory dessert afterward)-- my budget in Korea feels almost reasonable. But sustaining that “affordable” lifestyle over a full semester or even a year is where it gets tricky.

A few helpful strategies I've used to lower my weekly costs include:

• Making breakfast at home (averaged me $1.90/meal) or lunch/dinner
• Convenience store ramen combos for $3 or triangle Kimbap for quick, cheap lunch/dinner options
• Cutting back on lemon tea (a hard habit to break)
• Getting majority meals on campus cafeterias and student restaurants ~$5 meals
• Be more intentional with non-essential purchases

Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While you should enjoy yourself, finding a balance while spending keeps the fun going without the panic later.

If you’re planning ahead for Korea, I hope this gives you a realistic starting point. Treat yourself, but maybe… skip that 10th gacha machine. (Trust me.)