North Korea vs Russia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

North Korea Russia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1597
$687
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3888
$1738
🏠 One person rent
$942
$341
🏘️ Family rent
$2057
$651
🍽️ Food expenses
$496
$225
🚐 Transport expenses
$107
$49.9
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$410
$666
💸 GDP per capita
$1700
$13817
😃 Human freedom index
1.4
5.81
❤️ Life expectancy
73.6
72.5
👮 Corruption perceptions index
17
26
🌐 English speaking %
0%
3.5%
🎓 Higher education
18
85
😀 Quality of life
8
44
🏙️ Population
25.5M
146M

The average cost of living in North Korea ($1597) is 132% more expensive than in Russia ($687). North Korea ranked 29th vs 143rd for Russia in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.3 months in North Korea compared to 1 months in Russia. Ranked 191st and 91st best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in North Korea vs Russia infographic

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Prices in North Korea vs Russia

We calculate prices for North Korea and Russia as a population-weighted mean of 24 and 122 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.

North Korea Russia
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.49
$6.74
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$29.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.02
$4.32
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.82
$1.93
 Cappuccino
$1.85
$1.92
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.54
$0.9
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$868
$400
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$789
$247
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3099
$825
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1571
$491
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.2
$56.2
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$86.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.6
$6.62
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.41%
13.25%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1567
$2583
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$874
$1604
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.38
$0.44
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47
$20.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.1
$5.17
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$0.57
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.53
$0.85
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.63
$0.5
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.64
$1.01
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.55
$1.33
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.45
$8.1
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18
$3.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.74
$7.46
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$1.27
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.22
$1.31
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.64
$1.58
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$2.24
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.99
$0.49
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1
$0.46
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.33
$0.36
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.16
$1.34
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.93
$6.21
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.68
$0.79
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.81
$2.22
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.48
$4.35
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$2.39
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.56
$1.06
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.44
$1.27
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$23.3
$28.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$4.16
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$15.3
$18
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.17
$4.25
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.6
$64.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$64
$85
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$102
$272
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3385
$6416

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in North Korea vs Russia

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In North Korea

City Cost of living Population
Pyongyang
$1672
2.86M
Hamhung
$1603
769K
Chongjin
$1602
668K
Sunchon
$1576
437K
Nampo
$1574
367K
Wonsan
$1573
363K
Sinuiju
$1568
359K
Tanchon
$1568
346K
Kaechon
$1564
320K
Kaesong
$1567
308K
Sariwon
$1564
308K
Haeju
$1562
273K
Kanggye
$1562
252K
Anju
$1550
240K
Tokchon
$1553
237K
Pyongsong
$1555
237K
Kimchaek
$1551
207K
Rason
$1488
197K
Kusong
$1547
197K
Hyesan
$1552
193K
Chongju
$1555
190K
Huichon
$1545
168K
Hoeryong
$1479
154K
Sinpo
$1542
153K

In Russia

City Cost of living Population
Moscow
$1075
13M
Saint Petersburg
$874
5.38M
Novosibirsk
$649
1.63M
Yekaterinburg
$701
1.47M
Kazan
$654
1.26M
Nizhny Novgorod
$639
1.21M
Rostov-on-Don
$627
1.14M
Krasnodar
$635
1.14M
Ufa
$567
1.13M
Samara
$589
1.16M
Krasnoyarsk
$669
1.09M
Perm
$559
1.03M
Chelyabinsk
$523
1.18M
Tyumen
$698
861K
Omsk
$406
1.11M
Voronezh
$419
1.05M
Volgograd
$523
1M
Khabarovsk
$750
616K
Irkutsk
$741
624K
Vladivostok
$758
592K
Balashikha
$633
530K
Saratov
$518
838K
Surgut
$612
396K
Penza
$514
492K
Kemerovo
$495
557K
Naberezhnye Chelny
$556
546K
Izhevsk
$620
621K
Yaroslavl
$533
571K
Tomsk
$519
575K
Barnaul
$619
623K