Busan vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Busan Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1122
$1672
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3048
$4098
🏠 One person rent
$395
$957
🏘️ Family rent
$821
$2107
🍽️ Food expenses
$472
$494
🚐 Transport expenses
$148
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2421
$424
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
13 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
73
19
😀 Quality of life
89
16
🏙️ Population
3.45M
2.86M

The cost of living in Busan is 33% less expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 4837th and 2973rd ($1122 vs $1672) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 13th 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 0.3 months in Pyongyang. Busan ranked 4th best city to live in South Korea vs Pyongyang ranked 1st in North Korea, while ranked 181st and 9011th among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Busan vs Pyongyang infographic

Share this infographic!

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
$5.92
$8.46
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$34.7
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.87
$5.03
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.56
$1.89
 Cappuccino
$4.09
$1.91
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.86
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$423
$893
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$273
$803
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$902
$3195
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$636
$1610
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$74.8
$81.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$114
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$17.5
$54.9
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.21%
12.42%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$8000
$1714
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$7248
$930
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.15
$0.37
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$44.1
$47.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$12.3
$18.9
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.22
$0.88
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.17
$2.53
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.21
$2.65
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.99
$2.61
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.36
$2.53
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.9
$9.39
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.91
$17.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$28.2
$6.69
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.36
$3.14
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.31
$1.18
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.55
$1.58
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.13
$6.94
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.43
$2.95
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.51
$0.99
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.8
$0.32
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.14
$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.1
$7.04
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.85
$2.69
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.38
$2.8
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.71
$3.27
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.08
$2.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.72
$1.56
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.4
$4.4
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$47.1
$24.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$10.4
$4.26
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$25.1
$16
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.6
$4.42
👖 Brand Jeans
$92.7
$28.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$87.9
$64.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$557
$104
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$14632
$3493

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Busan

Distance City Cost of living
21 km or 13 mi Gimhae
$901
27 km or 16 mi Yangsan
$973
40 km or 25 mi Changwon
$1083
46 km or 28 mi Masan
$1002
50 km or 31 mi Geoje
$893
51 km or 32 mi Miryang
$992
56 km or 35 mi Ulsan
$1099
63 km or 39 mi Tongyeong
$931
64 km or 40 mi Sacheon
$1008
81 km or 50 mi Tsushima Island
$981
84 km or 52 mi Gyeongsan
$1022
85 km or 53 mi Gyeongju
$1341
87 km or 54 mi Jinju
$1146
94 km or 58 mi Daegu
$1114
98 km or 61 mi Yeongcheon
$941
102 km or 64 mi Tsushima
$980
108 km or 67 mi Pohang
$1000
123 km or 77 mi Gwangyang
$999
131 km or 82 mi Yeosu
$981
138 km or 86 mi Gumi
$977
141 km or 88 mi Gimcheon
$995
142 km or 88 mi Suncheon
$1027
154 km or 96 mi Namwon
$1005
162 km or 101 mi Iki
$985
165 km or 103 mi Andong
$871
166 km or 103 mi Sangju
$981
183 km or 113 mi Mungyeong
$992
189 km or 118 mi Jeonju
$915
193 km or 120 mi Gwangju
$1178
195 km or 121 mi Yeongju
$978
198 km or 123 mi Hirado
$968
199 km or 124 mi Munakata
$996
199 km or 124 mi Fukutsu
$1006
200 km or 124 mi Okagaki
$985
201 km or 125 mi Koga
$1015
201 km or 125 mi Shingu
$1020
202 km or 125 mi Itoshima
$1016
202 km or 126 mi Karatsu
$994
204 km or 127 mi Daejeon
$975
205 km or 127 mi Jeongeup
$1000

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1555
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1574
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1576
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1564
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1550
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1564
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1555
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1553
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1562
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1547
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1545
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1567
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1573
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1020
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1568
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$548
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$543
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$968
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$966
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$941
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$989
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1008
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$936
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1603
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1067
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1068
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1461
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1038
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1085
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1084
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1005
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1025
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1074
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$990
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$527
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1003
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1127
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$988
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1087
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$839