North Korea vs Russia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

North Korea Russia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1595
$770
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3883
$1935
🏠 One person rent
$940
$388
🏘️ Family rent
$2056
$737
🍽️ Food expenses
$496
$251
🚐 Transport expenses
$107
$54.6
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$401
$777
💸 GDP per capita
$1700
$13817
😃 Human freedom index
1.4
5.35
❤️ Life expectancy
73.6
72.5
👮 Corruption perceptions index
15
22
🌐 English speaking %
0%
4.8%
🎓 Higher education
18
85
😀 Quality of life
10
45
🏙️ Population
26.4M
146M

The average cost of living in North Korea ($1595) is 107% more expensive than in Russia ($770). North Korea ranked 25th vs 127th 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 190th and 94th 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
$8.47
$7.52
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$34.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.03
$4.74
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.8
$2.19
 Cappuccino
$1.85
$2.11
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$0.96
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$866
$450
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$788
$287
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3091
$945
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1573
$559
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.2
$60.7
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$93.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.7
$7.09
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.05%
16.46%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1542
$2953
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$936
$1754
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.38
$0.49
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47
$22.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.2
$5.65
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$0.63
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$0.94
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.62
$0.56
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.64
$1.12
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.56
$1.48
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.5
$8.98
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.1
$4.29
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.84
$8.24
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$1.4
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$1.49
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.55
$1.83
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$2.45
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.99
$0.58
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.98
$0.54
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.33
$0.39
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.16
$1.44
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.94
$6.84
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$0.85
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.85
$2.44
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.57
$4.84
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.89
$2.46
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.53
$1.17
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.44
$1.33
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$23.5
$31.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.24
$4.55
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$15.1
$17.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.07
$4.43
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.5
$66.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$62.1
$92.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$101
$314
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3222
$6824

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
$1675
2.86M
Hamhung
$1597
769K
Chongjin
$1590
668K
Sunchon
$1574
437K
Nampo
$1570
367K
Wonsan
$1568
363K
Sinuiju
$1572
359K
Tanchon
$1571
346K
Kaechon
$1565
320K
Kaesong
$1565
308K
Sariwon
$1561
308K
Haeju
$1550
273K
Kanggye
$1553
252K
Anju
$1554
240K
Tokchon
$1546
237K
Pyongsong
$1548
237K
Kimchaek
$1551
207K
Rason
$1472
197K
Kusong
$1549
197K
Hyesan
$1549
193K
Chongju
$1547
190K
Huichon
$1538
168K
Hoeryong
$1467
154K
Sinpo
$1537
153K

In Russia

City Cost of living Population
Moscow
$1244
13.1M
Saint Petersburg
$974
5.6M
Yekaterinburg
$765
1.47M
Novosibirsk
$698
1.63M
Kazan
$734
1.26M
Nizhny Novgorod
$717
1.2M
Krasnoyarsk
$692
1.09M
Rostov-on-Don
$683
1.14M
Krasnodar
$676
1.14M
Omsk
$631
1.1M
Chelyabinsk
$617
1.18M
Ufa
$672
1.13M
Perm
$595
1.03M
Samara
$656
1.16M
Tyumen
$765
861K
Voronezh
$448
1.05M
Khabarovsk
$826
616K
Saratov
$555
838K
Volgograd
$569
1M
Vladivostok
$833
592K
Irkutsk
$770
624K
Tolyatti
$612
668K
Balashikha
$676
530K
Surgut
$654
396K
Penza
$524
488K
Naberezhnye Chelny
$613
544K
Izhevsk
$637
619K
Kemerovo
$569
545K
Tomsk
$565
545K
Yaroslavl
$523
567K