Beijing vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Beijing Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1044
$1675
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2705
$3651
🏠 One person rent
$596
$960
🏘️ Family rent
$1053
$1648
🍽️ Food expenses
$250
$494
🚐 Transport expenses
$102
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$711
$126
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
19
😀 Quality of life
73
23
🏙️ Population
21.9M
2.86M

The cost of living in Beijing is 38% less expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 5341st and 3341st ($1044 vs $1675) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 6th and 1st in China and North Korea, respectively. Check China vs North Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in Beijing compared to 0.1 months in Pyongyang. Beijing ranked 11th best city to live in China vs Pyongyang ranked 1st in North Korea, while ranked 2718th and 9065th among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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Prices in Beijing vs Pyongyang

Prices for goods and services in Beijing and Pyongyang are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Beijing Pyongyang
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$4.36
$8.41
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$26.1
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.05
$5.02
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.02
$1.92
 Cappuccino
$3.03
$1.99
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.57
$0.53
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$861
$891
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$471
$806
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1589
$1610
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$839
$1432
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$32.4
$81.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$50.2
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$13.9
$55.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
3.39%
12.8%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$12544
$1642
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6280
$900
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.58
$0.33
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$33.4
$46.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.68
$19.2
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.1
$0.89
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.95
$2.5
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.81
$2.64
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.12
$2.63
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.89
$2.56
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.7
$9.54
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.38
$17.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.2
$6.88
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.22
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.75
$1.14
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.83
$1.59
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$6.93
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.82
$3
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$0.98
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.37
$0.34
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.21
$2.16
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$9.65
$6.96
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.86
$2.73
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.61
$2.84
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.71
$3.17
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.63
$2.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.73
$1.54
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.02
$4.46
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.8
$24.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8
$4.26
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$34.7
$17.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$8.08
$4.46
👖 Brand Jeans
$59
$27.9
👟 Brand Sneakers
$81.3
$62.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$725
$114
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$25165
$4189

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Beijing

Distance City Cost of living
50 km or 31 mi Langfang
$716
58 km or 36 mi Zhuozhou
$734
58 km or 36 mi Sanhe
$767
78 km or 49 mi Gaobeidian
$645
87 km or 54 mi Bazhou
$646
109 km or 68 mi Tianjin
$663
135 km or 84 mi Renqiu
$572
137 km or 85 mi Zunhua
$673
139 km or 87 mi Baoding
$468
151 km or 94 mi Binhai
$656
155 km or 97 mi Tangshan
$697
163 km or 101 mi Zhangjiakou
$657
164 km or 102 mi Hejian
$562
176 km or 110 mi Chengde
$709
182 km or 113 mi Cangzhou
$621
189 km or 117 mi Huanghua
$630
189 km or 118 mi Anguo
$528
196 km or 122 mi Dingzhou
$558
197 km or 122 mi Qian'an
$632
198 km or 123 mi Luanzhou
$626
204 km or 127 mi Botou
$564
224 km or 139 mi Shenzhou
$512
228 km or 142 mi Xinle
$524
229 km or 142 mi Pingquan
$629
239 km or 148 mi Jinzhou
$521
241 km or 150 mi Xinji
$525
249 km or 155 mi Gaocheng
$519
249 km or 155 mi Hengshui
$466
252 km or 156 mi Laoling
$584
263 km or 164 mi Shijiazhuang
$493
265 km or 165 mi Datong
$770
272 km or 169 mi Jizhou
$508
273 km or 169 mi Qinhuangdao
$574
273 km or 170 mi Dezhou
$492
281 km or 175 mi Fengzhen
$655
282 km or 175 mi Huairen
$666
294 km or 183 mi Lingyuan
$618
296 km or 184 mi Nangong
$562
302 km or 187 mi Ulanqab
$640
314 km or 195 mi Binzhou
$748

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1551
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1580
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1574
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1560
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1551
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1572
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1539
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1560
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1568
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1540
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1545
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1563
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1572
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1049
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1574
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$534
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$544
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1007
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1068
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$937
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1008
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1092
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$913
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1604
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1057
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1167
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1363
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1071
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1117
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1120
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1061
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$988
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1162
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1044
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$517
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1112
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1425
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1063
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1292
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$867