Pyongyang vs San Francisco - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang San Francisco
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1672
$3781
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4098
$8717
🏠 One person rent
$957
$2600
🏘️ Family rent
$2107
$4501
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$806
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$181
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$424
$7795
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
19
97
😀 Quality of life
16
97
🏙️ Population
2.86M
874K

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 56% less expensive than in San Francisco. Cities ranked 2973rd and 9th ($1672 vs $3781) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 7th in North Korea and the United States, respectively. Check North Korea vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.3 months in Pyongyang compared to 2.1 months in San Francisco. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs San Francisco ranked 1st in the United States, while ranked 9011th and 12th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Pyongyang vs San Francisco infographic

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Prices in Pyongyang vs San Francisco

Prices for goods and services in Pyongyang and San Francisco are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Pyongyang San Francisco
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.46
$22.5
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$103
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.03
$12.3
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.89
$8.68
☕ Cappuccino
$1.91
$5.68
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$2.79
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$893
$2707
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$803
$2324
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3195
$5024
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1610
$4030
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.5
$138
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$211
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$54.9
$61.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.42%
6.62%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1714
$11577
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$930
$11019
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.37
$2.6
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.3
$96.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$18.9
$20.9
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.88
$1.35
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.53
$1.66
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.65
$4.31
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$5.8
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.53
$6.2
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.39
$23
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$15
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.69
$22.5
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.14
$6.37
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$3.31
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$5.7
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$7
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.95
$3.91
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$3.18
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$1.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$3.7
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.04
$18.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$3.33
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.8
$13.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.27
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$7.97
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.56
$5.38
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.4
$2.89
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.2
$91.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$17.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$132
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.42
$23.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.6
$63.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$64.5
$107
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$104
$2916
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3493
$31050

Cost of living in other countries

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Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1555
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1574
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1576
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1564
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1550
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1564
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1555
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1553
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1562
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1547
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1545
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1567
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1573
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1020
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1568
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$548
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$543
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$968
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$966
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$941
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$989
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1008
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$936
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1603
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1067
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1068
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1461
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1038
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1085
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1084
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1005
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1025
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1074
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$990
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$527
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1003
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1127
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$988
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1087
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$839

Cities near San Francisco

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.9 mi Daly
$3180
14 km or 8.4 mi South San Francisco
$3170
14 km or 8.8 mi Alameda
$3274
15 km or 9.2 mi Oakland
$3146
16 km or 10 mi Albany
$2940
17 km or 10 mi Berkeley
$3082
17 km or 11 mi San Bruno
$3196
18 km or 11 mi El Cerrito
$2977
18 km or 11 mi Pacifica
$3152
19 km or 12 mi Richmond
$3053
20 km or 12 mi Millbrae
$3224
21 km or 13 mi San Pablo
$3048
22 km or 14 mi Burlingame
$3293
24 km or 15 mi San Leandro
$3023
24 km or 15 mi San Rafael
$4155
26 km or 16 mi San Mateo
$3672
28 km or 17 mi San Lorenzo
$2802
28 km or 18 mi Foster
$3473
29 km or 18 mi Lafayette
$2831
29 km or 18 mi Hercules
$2949
31 km or 19 mi Belmont
$3804
32 km or 20 mi Hayward
$2981
32 km or 20 mi Castro Valley
$2931
34 km or 21 mi San Carlos
$3442
34 km or 21 mi Walnut Creek
$2874
36 km or 23 mi Redwood
$3584
37 km or 23 mi Martinez
$2714
37 km or 23 mi Danville
$2922
37 km or 23 mi Pleasant Hill
$2767
38 km or 24 mi Union
$2986
39 km or 24 mi San Ramon
$2851
39 km or 24 mi Vallejo
$2885
39 km or 24 mi Novato
$3176
39 km or 24 mi Benicia
$2845
41 km or 25 mi Concord
$2726
42 km or 26 mi Menlo Park
$3288
42 km or 26 mi East Palo Alto
$3228
43 km or 27 mi Newark
$3010
45 km or 28 mi Dublin
$3091
46 km or 28 mi Palo Alto
$3610