North Korea vs Russia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

North Korea Russia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1592
$652
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3890
$1669
🏠 One person rent
$939
$310
🏘️ Family rent
$2067
$594
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$220
🚐 Transport expenses
$107
$51
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$380
$632
💸 GDP per capita
$1700
$15271
😃 Human freedom index
1.4
5.81
❤️ Life expectancy
73.3
69.4
👮 Corruption perceptions index
17
26
🌐 English speaking %
0%
3.5%
🎓 Higher education
18
85
😀 Quality of life
10
44
🏙️ Population
25.5M
147M

The average cost of living in North Korea ($1592) is 144% more expensive than in Russia ($652). North Korea ranked 26th 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 0.2 months in North Korea compared to 1 months in Russia. Ranked 191st and 107th 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
$8.42
$6.41
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$27.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.99
$4.2
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.77
$1.94
 Cappuccino
$1.77
$1.92
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.53
$0.86
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$870
$358
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$785
$226
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3116
$737
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1578
$450
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.5
$52.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$80.4
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.9
$5.94
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
10.73%
11.54%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1461
$2325
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$818
$1510
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.36
$0.44
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.2
$20.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.3
$5.49
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$0.57
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$0.84
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.65
$0.48
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.63
$0.96
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.56
$1.22
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.48
$8.1
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18
$3.8
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.27
$7.21
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$1.19
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.15
$1.19
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.55
$1.62
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.95
$2.03
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.01
$0.47
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.93
$0.46
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.33
$0.35
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.15
$1.36
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.94
$6.03
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.68
$0.78
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.77
$2.16
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.59
$5.23
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3
$2.65
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.53
$1.13
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.41
$1.34
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$21.8
$29.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.25
$4.08
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$17.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.27
$5.37
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.5
$63.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$59.7
$80.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$102
$262
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3251
$6135

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
$1663
2.86M
Hamhung
$1596
769K
Chongjin
$1590
668K
Sunchon
$1583
437K
Wonsan
$1573
363K
Sinuiju
$1574
359K
Tanchon
$1565
346K
Kaechon
$1562
320K
Nampo
$1571
311K
Sariwon
$1557
308K
Kanggye
$1555
252K
Haeju
$1560
242K
Anju
$1551
240K
Tokchon
$1558
237K
Pyongsong
$1550
237K
Kimchaek
$1544
207K
Kusong
$1544
197K
Rason
$1489
197K
Hyesan
$1546
193K
Kaesong
$1542
193K
Chongju
$1538
190K
Huichon
$1546
168K
Hoeryong
$1469
154K
Sinpo
$1542
153K

In Russia

City Cost of living Population
Moscow
$1021
12.5M
Saint Petersburg
$811
5.38M
Yekaterinburg
$676
1.47M
Novosibirsk
$657
1.63M
Nizhny Novgorod
$596
1.25M
Kazan
$646
1.24M
Rostov-on-Don
$601
1.14M
Ufa
$547
1.12M
Chelyabinsk
$467
1.2M
Samara
$623
1.17M
Krasnoyarsk
$634
1.08M
Voronezh
$420
1.05M
Krasnodar
$553
949K
Omsk
$402
1.17M
Perm
$537
1.05M
Tyumen
$636
745K
Volgograd
$505
1M
Saratov
$513
845K
Sevastopol
$628
522K
Surgut
$614
396K
Vladivostok
$765
597K
Kemerovo
$487
559K
Khabarovsk
$623
616K
Balashikha
$645
468K
Irkutsk
$607
624K
Izhevsk
$567
646K
Naberezhnye Chelny
$501
534K
Yaroslavl
$496
601K
Orenburg
$494
565K
Yakutsk
$696
312K