Chicago vs Pyongyang - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Pyongyang
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2799
$1659
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6454
$3633
🏠 One person rent
$1702
$946
🏘️ Family rent
$2727
$1645
🍽️ Food expenses
$702
$492
🚐 Transport expenses
$204
$168
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5210
$138
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
100
19
😀 Quality of life
97
23
🏙️ Population
2.75M
2.86M

The cost of living in Chicago is 69% more expensive than in Pyongyang. Cities ranked 394th and 3285th ($2799 vs $1659) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 338th 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 1.9 months in Chicago compared to 0.1 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 9031st 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
$19.2
$8.36
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$86.5
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$12
$5
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7.36
$1.93
☕ Cappuccino
$5.6
$1.93
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.99
$0.51
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1993
$881
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1414
$793
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3215
$1575
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2313
$1439
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$108
$80.8
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$168
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$64.8
$54.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.77%
12.74%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3645
$1667
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2499
$992
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.48
$0.35
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$74.8
$47.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17
$19.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.01
$0.88
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.08
$2.51
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$4.01
$2.64
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.93
$2.65
🥚 Eggs, x12
$5.3
$2.52
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.4
$9.4
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.3
$17.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.8
$6.87
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.04
$3.11
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.8
$1.17
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.11
$1.59
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.56
$6.98
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.37
$2.96
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.76
$0.99
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.79
$0.32
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.14
$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.7
$7.01
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.81
$2.69
🚬 Cigarette pack
$16.5
$2.78
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$12.8
$3.08
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$7
$2.86
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.84
$1.48
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.14
$4.38
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$68.2
$25
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$17.1
$4.33
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$135
$16.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$28.7
$3.97
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.8
$28.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$94.8
$63.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2032
$98.7
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$23423
$3611

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
$2384
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2360
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2396
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2386
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2367
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2202
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2287
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2393
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2385
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2399
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2366
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2400
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2426
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2288
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2398
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2406
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2405
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2549
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2393
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2413
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2395
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$2030
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2327
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2392
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2379
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2462
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2008
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2388
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2399
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2468
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2363
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2495
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2268
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2392
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2368
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2261
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2392
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1989
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2376
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2426

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1550
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1565
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1573
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1560
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1563
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1569
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1553
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1555
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1565
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1544
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1544
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1568
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1569
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1065
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1564
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$537
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$550
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1023
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1098
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$948
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1028
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1097
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$918
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1607
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1088
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1175
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1383
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1090
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1134
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1138
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1078
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1004
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1178
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1049
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$517
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1112
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1435
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1080
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1307
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$874