Chicago vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2613
$1663
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6659
$4105
🏠 One person rent
$1594
$953
🏘️ Family rent
$3123
$2124
🍽️ Food expenses
$649
$491
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5285
$396
😷 Air quality
Good
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
19
😀 Quality of life
96
20
🏙️ Population
2.75M
2.86M

The cost of living in Chicago is 57% more expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 505th and 2803rd ($2613 vs $1663) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 455th 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 2 months in Chicago compared to 0.2 months in Pyongyang. Chicago ranked 2nd best city to live in the United States vs Pyongyang ranked 1st in North Korea, while ranked 16th and 8973rd among best cities to live in the world.

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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
$17.5
$8.35
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$80.3
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$10.6
$4.95
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$6.98
$1.85
 Cappuccino
$5.12
$1.84
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.87
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1958
$894
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1297
$797
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3908
$3221
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2652
$1625
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$103
$81.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$158
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$61.2
$55.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.64%
11.3%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3227
$1626
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2803
$893
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.52
$0.35
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$87.1
$46.9
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$15.1
$19
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.1
$0.89
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$2.49
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.79
$2.65
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.74
$2.61
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.8
$2.56
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.8
$9.45
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.5
$17.8
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$19.9
$6.31
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.27
$3.11
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.94
$1.11
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.02
$1.51
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.53
$6.97
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.42
$2.96
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.8
$0.9
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.53
$0.31
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.9
$2.15
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.1
$7.01
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.65
$2.69
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.7
$2.76
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$9.23
$3.43
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.71
$3.13
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.85
$1.53
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.94
$4.41
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$73.1
$22.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.8
$4.25
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$78.7
$16.5
💇 Haircut, simple
$28.3
$4.45
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.8
$28.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$99.6
$60.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2675
$107
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$15494
$3421

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2476
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2544
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2446
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2346
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2387
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2199
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2257
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2326
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2317
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2300
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2290
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2323
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2295
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2245
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2282
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2244
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2264
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2215
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2264
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2204
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2258
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$2013
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2248
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2258
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2240
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2162
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2030
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2257
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2253
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2269
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2250
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2267
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2264
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2238
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2239
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2089
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2221
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2038
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2241
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2240

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1550
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1571
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1583
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1557
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1551
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1562
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1538
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1558
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1560
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1544
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1546
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1542
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1573
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1072
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1574
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$526
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$515
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1077
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1124
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$983
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1041
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1144
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$986
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1596
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1020
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1152
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1444
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1087
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1101
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1106
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1056
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1097
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1069
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1127
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$513
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1120
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1121
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1054
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1081
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$911