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

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Livingcost

Pyongyang San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1672
$3674
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4098
$8354
🏠 One person rent
$957
$2553
🏘️ Family rent
$2107
$4614
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$756
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$175
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$424
$6972
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
8 km
🎓 Higher education
19
87
😀 Quality of life
16
93
🏙️ Population
2.86M
1.01M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 54% less expensive than in San Jose, United States. Cities ranked 2973rd and 13th ($1672 vs $3674) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 11th 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 1.9 months in San Jose, United States. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs San Jose, United States ranked 9th in the United States, while ranked 9011th and 57th 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
$8.46
$25.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$99.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.03
$12.1
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.89
$9.02
 Cappuccino
$1.91
$6.07
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$3.37
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$893
$2518
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$803
$2244
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3195
$4974
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1610
$4085
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.5
$178
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$275
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$54.9
$76.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.42%
6.65%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1714
$11099
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$930
$11117
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.37
$2.48
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.3
$90.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$18.9
$18.5
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.88
$1.28
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.53
$1.34
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.65
$4.64
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$3.84
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.53
$4.98
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.39
$15.9
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$14.2
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.69
$21.9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.14
$5.87
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$1.76
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$3.56
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$6.75
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.95
$3.84
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$3.28
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$1.73
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$2.55
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.04
$15
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$2.11
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.8
$11.5
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.27
$9.28
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$7.04
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.56
$4.62
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.4
$2.28
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.2
$113
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$15.9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$151
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.42
$20.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.6
$48.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$64.5
$83.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$104
$1894
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3493
$23974

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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 Jose, United States

Distance City Cost of living
7.6 km or 4.7 mi Campbell
$3322
9.7 km or 6.1 mi Santa Clara
$3417
11 km or 6.8 mi Los Gatos
$4181
13 km or 8.4 mi Saratoga
$3147
15 km or 9.1 mi Milpitas
$3083
15 km or 9.3 mi Cupertino
$2799
16 km or 10 mi Sunnyvale
$3305
18 km or 11 mi Mountain View
$3220
21 km or 13 mi Los Altos
$3085
27 km or 17 mi Palo Alto
$3610
27 km or 17 mi Morgan Hill
$3094
28 km or 18 mi Fremont
$3159
29 km or 18 mi Newark
$3010
29 km or 18 mi East Palo Alto
$3228
32 km or 20 mi Menlo Park
$3288
36 km or 22 mi Union
$2986
38 km or 23 mi Redwood
$3584
39 km or 24 mi Santa Cruz
$3433
41 km or 25 mi San Carlos
$3442
41 km or 25 mi Pleasanton
$3578
42 km or 26 mi Gilroy
$3118
43 km or 27 mi Livermore
$3085
44 km or 27 mi Watsonville
$3527
44 km or 27 mi Belmont
$3804
44 km or 28 mi Foster
$3473
45 km or 28 mi Hayward
$2981
46 km or 28 mi Dublin
$3091
47 km or 29 mi San Lorenzo
$2802
48 km or 30 mi San Mateo
$3672
48 km or 30 mi Castro Valley
$2931
53 km or 33 mi San Leandro
$3023
53 km or 33 mi Burlingame
$3293
54 km or 33 mi San Ramon
$2851
57 km or 36 mi Millbrae
$3224
59 km or 36 mi Danville
$2922
60 km or 38 mi San Bruno
$3196
61 km or 38 mi Alameda
$3274
62 km or 38 mi Tracy
$2250
63 km or 39 mi South San Francisco
$3170
64 km or 40 mi Oakland
$3146