Chicago vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2667
$1672
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6807
$4098
🏠 One person rent
$1579
$957
🏘️ Family rent
$3056
$2107
🍽️ Food expenses
$700
$494
🚐 Transport expenses
$205
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$4901
$424
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
19
😀 Quality of life
96
16
🏙️ Population
2.75M
2.86M

The cost of living in Chicago is 60% more expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 483rd and 2973rd ($2667 vs $1672) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 425th and 1st in the United States and North Korea, respectively. Check the United States vs North Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.8 months in Chicago compared to 0.3 months in Pyongyang. Chicago ranked 3rd best city to live in the United States vs Pyongyang ranked 1st in North Korea, while ranked 20th and 9011th among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Pyongyang infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Pyongyang

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

Chicago Pyongyang
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$21
$8.46
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$87.3
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$11.7
$5.03
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7.62
$1.89
☕ Cappuccino
$5.4
$1.91
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$3.12
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1974
$893
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1280
$803
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3828
$3195
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2594
$1610
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$102
$81.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$156
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$59.1
$54.9
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.61%
12.42%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3554
$1714
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3158
$930
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.49
$0.37
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$76.5
$47.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16.6
$18.9
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.12
$0.88
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.02
$2.53
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.92
$2.65
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5
$2.61
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.69
$2.53
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.8
$9.39
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.8
$17.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$19.9
$6.69
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.97
$3.14
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.91
$1.18
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.81
$1.58
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.56
$6.94
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.34
$2.95
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.08
$0.99
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.93
$0.32
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.86
$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.8
$7.04
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.9
$2.69
🚬 Cigarette pack
$16.6
$2.8
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$11.6
$3.27
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$6.03
$2.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.65
$1.56
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.81
$4.4
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$24.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$15
$4.26
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$126
$16
💇 Haircut, simple
$29.3
$4.42
👖 Brand Jeans
$62.2
$28.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$95.5
$64.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2457
$104
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$19423
$3493

Cost of living in other countries

ChicagoPyongyang

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2427
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2463
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2424
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2375
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2376
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2177
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2307
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2344
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2352
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2326
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2367
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2412
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2393
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2292
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2313
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2305
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2360
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2358
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2292
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2268
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2292
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1950
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2293
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2296
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2295
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2224
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$1975
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2276
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2392
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2363
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2276
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2380
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2290
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2269
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2280
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2134
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2331
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2002
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2274
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2357

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