Pyongyang vs San Jose, United States - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Pyongyang San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1659
$3952
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3633
$8290
🏠 One person rent
$946
$2795
🏘️ Family rent
$1645
$4452
🍽️ Food expenses
$492
$775
🚐 Transport expenses
$168
$174
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$138
$5915
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
8 km
🎓 Higher education
19
87
😀 Quality of life
23
93
🏙️ Population
2.86M
1.01M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 58% less expensive than in San Jose, United States. Cities ranked 3285th and 6th ($1659 vs $3952) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 4th 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 0.1 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.5 months in San Jose, United States. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs San Jose, United States ranked 21st in the United States, while ranked 9031st and 88th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Pyongyang vs San Jose, United States infographic

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Prices in Pyongyang vs San Jose, United States

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

Pyongyang San Jose
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.36
$20.4
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$99.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5
$12
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$9.08
 Cappuccino
$1.93
$5.87
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.51
$3.45
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$881
$2999
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$793
$2438
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1575
$4520
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1439
$4008
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$80.8
$175
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$272
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$54.5
$70
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.74%
6.45%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1667
$10416
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$992
$9325
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.35
$2.48
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.2
$90.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.1
$18.3
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.88
$1.27
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.51
$1.5
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$5.04
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.65
$3.21
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.52
$5.39
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.4
$22.6
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$15.5
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.87
$23
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.11
$6.54
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.17
$2.61
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$5.77
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.98
$6.69
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.96
$4.3
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$3.17
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$1.88
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$3.06
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.01
$15.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$2.31
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.78
$11.5
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.08
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.86
$6.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.48
$6.98
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.38
$2.51
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$25
$113
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.33
$16
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16.8
$176
💇 Haircut, simple
$3.97
$21
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.2
$56.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$63.8
$88.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$98.7
$1874
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3611
$22302

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Pyongyang

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Pyongsong
$1550
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1565
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1573
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1560
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1563
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1569
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1553
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1555
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1565
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1544
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1544
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1568
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1569
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1065
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1564
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$537
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$550
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1023
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1098
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$948
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1028
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1097
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$918
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1607
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1088
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1175
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1383
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1090
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1134
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1138
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1078
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1004
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1178
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1049
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$517
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1112
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1435
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1080
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1307
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$874

Cities near San Jose, United States

Distance City Cost of living
7.6 km or 4.7 mi Campbell
$3424
9.7 km or 6.1 mi Santa Clara
$3476
11 km or 6.8 mi Los Gatos
$4335
13 km or 8.4 mi Saratoga
$3356
15 km or 9.1 mi Milpitas
$3202
15 km or 9.3 mi Cupertino
$2942
16 km or 10 mi Sunnyvale
$3426
18 km or 11 mi Mountain View
$3415
21 km or 13 mi Los Altos
$3182
27 km or 17 mi Palo Alto
$3765
27 km or 17 mi Morgan Hill
$3130
28 km or 18 mi Fremont
$3328
29 km or 18 mi Newark
$3133
29 km or 18 mi East Palo Alto
$3333
32 km or 20 mi Menlo Park
$3359
36 km or 22 mi Union
$3045
38 km or 23 mi Redwood
$3890
39 km or 24 mi Santa Cruz
$3719
41 km or 25 mi San Carlos
$3382
41 km or 25 mi Pleasanton
$3462
42 km or 26 mi Gilroy
$2955
43 km or 27 mi Livermore
$3089
44 km or 27 mi Watsonville
$3748
44 km or 27 mi Belmont
$3553
44 km or 28 mi Foster
$3634
45 km or 28 mi Hayward
$2826
46 km or 28 mi Dublin
$3070
47 km or 29 mi San Lorenzo
$2810
48 km or 30 mi San Mateo
$3756
48 km or 30 mi Castro Valley
$2957
53 km or 33 mi San Leandro
$3071
53 km or 33 mi Burlingame
$3317
54 km or 33 mi San Ramon
$2850
57 km or 36 mi Millbrae
$3285
59 km or 36 mi Danville
$3818
60 km or 38 mi San Bruno
$3230
61 km or 38 mi Alameda
$3255
62 km or 38 mi Tracy
$2114
63 km or 39 mi South San Francisco
$3227
64 km or 40 mi Oakland
$3254