Busan vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Busan Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1084
$1669
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2785
$3681
🏠 One person rent
$427
$957
🏘️ Family rent
$736
$1680
🍽️ Food expenses
$428
$494
🚐 Transport expenses
$135
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2425
$159
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
72
19
😀 Quality of life
91
23
🏙️ Population
3.45M
2.86M

The cost of living in Busan is 35% less expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 5063rd and 3318th ($1084 vs $1669) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 11th and 1st in South Korea and North Korea, respectively. Check South Korea vs North Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Busan compared to 0.1 months in Pyongyang. Busan ranked 3rd best city to live in South Korea vs Pyongyang ranked 1st in North Korea, while ranked 120th and 9024th 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 Busan vs Pyongyang

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

Busan Pyongyang
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$5.61
$8.42
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$33
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.41
$5.04
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.03
$1.93
 Cappuccino
$3.37
$1.98
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.62
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$489
$887
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$270
$804
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$882
$1630
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$498
$1466
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$91
$80.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$138
$126
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$22.8
$55.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.26%
12.65%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$9604
$1605
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$7017
$874
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.99
$0.3
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$46.9
$46.9
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$9.86
$19
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.11
$0.9
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.91
$2.52
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.45
$2.64
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.41
$2.62
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.48
$2.54
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.9
$9.49
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.89
$17.8
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$22.1
$6.88
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.76
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.2
$1.12
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.1
$1.56
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.74
$6.95
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.1
$3.01
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.93
$0.93
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.77
$0.32
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.81
$2.17
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.2
$7.01
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$2.71
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.91
$3.19
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.99
$3.27
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.47
$2.89
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.47
$1.53
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.2
$4.38
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$46.7
$23.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$9.35
$4.14
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$20.9
$16.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$8.04
$3.92
👖 Brand Jeans
$79.6
$28
👟 Brand Sneakers
$74.9
$61.1
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$529
$131
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$17592
$4572

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Busan

Distance City Cost of living
21 km or 13 mi Gimhae
$1014
27 km or 16 mi Yangsan
$1044
40 km or 25 mi Changwon
$1013
46 km or 28 mi Masan
$992
50 km or 31 mi Geoje
$946
51 km or 32 mi Miryang
$1023
56 km or 35 mi Ulsan
$957
63 km or 39 mi Tongyeong
$982
64 km or 40 mi Sacheon
$974
81 km or 50 mi Tsushima Island
$899
84 km or 52 mi Gyeongsan
$943
85 km or 53 mi Gyeongju
$924
87 km or 54 mi Jinju
$1051
94 km or 58 mi Daegu
$992
98 km or 61 mi Yeongcheon
$964
102 km or 64 mi Tsushima
$896
108 km or 67 mi Pohang
$989
123 km or 77 mi Gwangyang
$955
131 km or 82 mi Yeosu
$954
138 km or 86 mi Gumi
$914
141 km or 88 mi Gimcheon
$887
142 km or 88 mi Suncheon
$973
154 km or 96 mi Namwon
$930
162 km or 101 mi Iki
$892
165 km or 103 mi Andong
$883
166 km or 103 mi Sangju
$919
183 km or 113 mi Mungyeong
$931
189 km or 118 mi Jeonju
$771
193 km or 120 mi Gwangju
$957
195 km or 121 mi Yeongju
$961
198 km or 123 mi Hirado
$885
199 km or 124 mi Munakata
$914
199 km or 124 mi Fukutsu
$907
200 km or 124 mi Okagaki
$928
201 km or 125 mi Koga
$901
201 km or 125 mi Shingu
$898
202 km or 125 mi Itoshima
$890
202 km or 126 mi Karatsu
$881
204 km or 127 mi Daejeon
$905
205 km or 127 mi Jeongeup
$922

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1560
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1572
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1579
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1569
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1559
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1564
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1544
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1563
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1562
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1550
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1547
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1557
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1570
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1010
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1572
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$540
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$541
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$977
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1040
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$894
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$982
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1052
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$868
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1607
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1032
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1090
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1296
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1029
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1089
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1094
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1031
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$943
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1152
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1001
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$526
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1053
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1455
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1022
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1313
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$819