Pyongyang vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison
Updated:
| Pyongyang | Seoul | |
|---|---|---|
| 🚶 Cost of living one person | ||
| 👨👩👧👦 Cost of living Family | ||
| 🏠 One person rent | ||
| 🏘️ Family rent | ||
| 🍽️ Food expenses | ||
| 🚐 Transport expenses | ||
| 💳 Monthly salary after tax | ||
| 😷 Air quality | ||
| ✈️ Airport proximity | ||
| 🎓 Higher education | ||
| 😀 Quality of life | ||
| 🏙️ Population |
The cost of living in Pyongyang is 15% more expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 2803rd and 3641st ($1663 vs $1444) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 1st in North Korea and South Korea, respectively. Check North Korea vs South Korea comparison.
The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.2 months in Pyongyang compared to 2.1 months in Seoul. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 8973rd and 23rd among best cities to live in the world.
Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power
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Prices in Pyongyang vs Seoul
Prices for goods and services in Pyongyang and Seoul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.
| Pyongyang | Seoul | |
|---|---|---|
| Eating Out | ||
| 🍱 Lunch Menu | ||
| 🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | ||
| 🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's | ||
| 🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | ||
| ☕ Cappuccino | ||
| 🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | ||
| Rent & Utilities | ||
| 🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | ||
| 🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | ||
| 🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | ||
| 🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | ||
| 🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | ||
| 🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | ||
| 🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited | ||
| 🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | ||
| 🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | ||
| 🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | ||
| Transportation | ||
| 🚌 Local transport ticket | ||
| 🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport | ||
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | ||
| ⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | ||
| Groceries | ||
| 🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | ||
| 🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | ||
| 🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🥚 Eggs, x12 | ||
| 🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | ||
| 🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt | ||
| 🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz | ||
| 🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle | ||
| 🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | ||
| 🚬 Cigarette pack | ||
| 💊 Cold medicince, 1 week | ||
| 🧴 Hair Shampoo | ||
| 🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls | ||
| 👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube | ||
| Other | ||
| 🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month | ||
| 🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person | ||
| 👩⚕️ Doctor's visit | ||
| 💇 Haircut, simple | ||
| 👖 Brand Jeans | ||
| 👟 Brand Sneakers | ||
| 👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | ||
| 🏫 International Primary School, 1 year | ||
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 | |
| 44 km or 27 mi | Nampo | |
| 46 km or 29 mi | Sunchon | |
| 59 km or 36 mi | Sariwon | |
| 65 km or 41 mi | Anju | |
| 76 km or 47 mi | Kaechon | |
| 77 km or 48 mi | Chongju | |
| 95 km or 59 mi | Tokchon | |
| 111 km or 69 mi | Haeju | |
| 115 km or 71 mi | Kusong | |
| 135 km or 84 mi | Huichon | |
| 138 km or 86 mi | Kaesong | |
| 149 km or 92 mi | Wonsan | |
| 163 km or 102 mi |  Paju | |
| 165 km or 102 mi | Sinuiju | |
| 165 km or 103 mi |  Donggang | |
| 167 km or 104 mi | Dandong | |
| 170 km or 106 mi | Dongducheon | |
| 178 km or 111 mi | Gimpo | |
| 180 km or 112 mi | Yangju | |
| 180 km or 112 mi | Pocheon | |
| 181 km or 112 mi | Goyang | |
| 183 km or 113 mi | Uijeongbu | |
| 184 km or 114 mi | Hamhung | |
| 192 km or 119 mi | Incheon | |
| 193 km or 120 mi | Bucheon | |
| 195 km or 121 mi | Seoul | |
| 199 km or 124 mi | Gwangmyeong | |
| 202 km or 125 mi | Guri | |
| 202 km or 125 mi | Namyangju | |
| 209 km or 130 mi | Gwacheon | |
| 210 km or 130 mi | Anyang | |
| 210 km or 131 mi | Hanam | |
| 212 km or 132 mi | Ansan | |
| 213 km or 132 mi | Fengcheng | |
| 213 km or 133 mi | Gunpo | |
| 215 km or 134 mi | Seongnam | |
| 216 km or 134 mi | Uiwang | |
| 216 km or 134 mi | Siheung | |
| 217 km or 135 mi | Chuncheon |
Cities near Seoul
| Distance | City | Cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| 13 km or 7.9 mi | Guri | |
| 17 km or 10 mi | Goyang | |
| 17 km or 10 mi | Gwangmyeong | |
| 17 km or 11 mi | Gwacheon | |
| 19 km or 12 mi | Uijeongbu | |
| 20 km or 12 mi | Hanam | |
| 20 km or 12 mi | Namyangju | |
| 20 km or 13 mi | Seongnam | |
| 21 km or 13 mi | Siheung | |
| 21 km or 13 mi | Bucheon | |
| 22 km or 14 mi | Anyang | |
| 23 km or 14 mi | Yangju | |
| 24 km or 15 mi | Gunpo | |
| 26 km or 16 mi | Gimpo | |
| 27 km or 17 mi | Uiwang | |
| 30 km or 19 mi | Gwangju | |
| 32 km or 20 mi | Paju | |
| 33 km or 20 mi | Ansan | |
| 33 km or 21 mi | Suwon | |
| 34 km or 21 mi | Incheon | |
| 37 km or 23 mi | Dongducheon | |
| 39 km or 24 mi | Pocheon | |
| 42 km or 26 mi | Yongin | |
| 47 km or 29 mi | Hwaseong | |
| 49 km or 31 mi | Osan | |
| 52 km or 32 mi | Icheon | |
| 58 km or 36 mi | Kaesong | |
| 65 km or 40 mi | Yeoju | |
| 66 km or 41 mi | Pyeongtaek | |
| 69 km or 43 mi | Anseong | |
| 72 km or 45 mi | Chuncheon | |
| 83 km or 52 mi | Dangjin | |
| 86 km or 53 mi | Wonju | |
| 87 km or 54 mi | Cheonan | |
| 101 km or 63 mi | Seosan | |
| 107 km or 66 mi | Chungju | |
| 114 km or 71 mi | Cheongju | |
| 118 km or 73 mi | Jecheon | |
| 123 km or 77 mi | Haeju | |
| 124 km or 77 mi | Sejong |