China vs North Korea - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

China North Korea
🚶 Cost of living one person
$650
$1598
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1771
$3465
🏠 One person rent
$270
$940
🏘️ Family rent
$453
$1624
🍽️ Food expenses
$231
$497
🚐 Transport expenses
$70.4
$107
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$819
$119
💸 GDP per capita
$13303
$1261
😃 Human freedom index
4.93
1.4
❤️ Life expectancy
78
73.6
👮 Corruption perceptions index
43
15
🌐 English speaking %
0.7%
0%
🎓 Higher education
88
17
😀 Quality of life
52
10
🏙️ Population
1.41B
26.5M

The average cost of living in China ($650) is 59% less expensive than in North Korea ($1598). China ranked 162nd vs 36th for North Korea in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.3 months in China compared to 0.1 months in North Korea. Ranked 85th and 191st best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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Prices in China vs North Korea

We calculate prices for China and North Korea as a population-weighted mean of 544 and 24 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

China North Korea
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$3.14
$8.48
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$21.9
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.95
$5.02
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.31
$1.83
 Cappuccino
$2.85
$1.94
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.5
$0.55
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$309
$869
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$204
$787
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$662
$3092
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$412
$1565
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$34.3
$81.1
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$52.7
$125
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$11.2
$55.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
3.61%
12.65%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4120
$1458
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2333
$844
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.36
$0.34
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$20.3
$46.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.13
$19.2
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.13
$0.9
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.8
$2.52
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.63
$2.63
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.01
$2.64
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.57
$2.57
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.6
$9.51
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.42
$18
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.7
$6.9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.79
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.22
$1.19
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$1.64
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.24
$6.93
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.75
$3.02
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$1.01
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.39
$0.36
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.23
$2.17
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$11.5
$6.93
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.84
$2.7
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.34
$2.91
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.1
$3.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.73
$2.92
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.5
$1.57
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.7
$4.45
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$40.3
$24.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.11
$4.24
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$33.7
$16.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$5.66
$4.06
👖 Brand Jeans
$46.5
$28.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$72.6
$62.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$442
$108
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$17761
$3833

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in China vs North Korea

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In China

City Cost of living Population
Chongqing
$601
32.1M
Chengdu
$666
20.9M
Shanghai
$1126
24.9M
Shenzhen
$939
17.5M
Beijing
$1044
21.9M
Guangzhou
$782
18.7M
Tianjin
$663
13.9M
Wuhan
$653
12.3M
Suzhou
$782
12.7M
Xi'an
$585
13M
Baoding
$468
11.5M
Hangzhou
$860
11.9M
Qingdao
$649
10.1M
Changsha
$617
10M
Hong Kong
$2674
7.41M
Harbin
$680
10M
Linyi
$530
11M
Hefei
$654
9.37M
Nanjing
$765
9.31M
Jinan
$547
9.2M
Ningbo
$671
9.4M
Zhengzhou
$511
12.6M
Xuzhou
$514
9.08M
Dongguan
$666
10.5M
Nantong
$557
7.73M
Changchun
$588
9.07M
Wenzhou
$763
9.57M
Yantai
$705
7.1M
Shenyang
$575
9.07M
Shijiazhuang
$493
10.6M

In North Korea

City Cost of living Population
Pyongyang
$1675
2.86M
Hamhung
$1604
769K
Chongjin
$1593
668K
Sunchon
$1574
437K
Nampo
$1580
367K
Wonsan
$1572
363K
Sinuiju
$1574
359K
Tanchon
$1569
346K
Kaechon
$1572
320K
Sariwon
$1560
308K
Kaesong
$1563
308K
Haeju
$1568
273K
Kanggye
$1560
252K
Anju
$1551
240K
Tokchon
$1560
237K
Pyongsong
$1551
237K
Kimchaek
$1551
207K
Kusong
$1540
197K
Rason
$1477
197K
Hyesan
$1553
193K
Chongju
$1539
190K
Huichon
$1545
168K
Sinpo
$1544
153K
Hoeryong
$1476
154K