Pyongyang vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1669
$1296
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3681
$3195
🏠 One person rent
$957
$624
🏘️ Family rent
$1680
$1077
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$438
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$132
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$159
$3066
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
19
99
😀 Quality of life
23
95
🏙️ Population
2.86M
9.67M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 29% more expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 3318th and 4545th ($1669 vs $1296) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 3rd 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 0.1 months in Pyongyang compared to 2.4 months in Seoul. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 9024th and 16th among best cities to live in the world.

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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
$8.42
$7.13
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$45.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.04
$5.97
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$3.36
 Cappuccino
$1.98
$3.47
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$1.44
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$887
$717
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$804
$459
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1630
$1281
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1466
$818
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$80.6
$98.8
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$126
$152
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.1
$14.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.65%
4.02%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1605
$24031
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$874
$10129
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.3
$1.01
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$46.9
$40.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19
$7.36
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.9
$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$1.82
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$2.4
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.62
$2.98
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.54
$2.79
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.49
$13
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.8
$7.93
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.88
$25.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$6.15
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.12
$3.06
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$5.02
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.95
$4.7
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.01
$3.05
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.93
$2.37
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.17
$1.46
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.01
$15.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.71
$1.86
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.19
$2.98
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.27
$3.33
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.89
$3.6
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.53
$2.88
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.38
$1.15
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$23.9
$45.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.14
$9.18
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16.1
$52.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$3.92
$14.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$28
$49.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$61.1
$64.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$131
$480
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4572
$19916

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
$1560
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1572
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1579
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1569
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1559
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1564
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1544
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1563
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1562
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1550
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1547
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1557
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1570
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1010
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1572
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$540
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$541
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$977
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1040
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$894
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$982
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1052
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$868
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1607
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1032
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1090
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1296
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1029
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1089
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1094
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1031
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$943
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1152
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1001
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$526
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1053
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1455
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1022
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1313
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$819

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1089
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1052
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1029
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1031
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$868
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1152
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1094
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1455
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1313
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1090
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$943
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$894
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1053
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1040
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1022
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1179
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1010
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1001
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$985
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1032
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$977
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$982
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1061
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1045
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1019
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1108
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1557
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1033
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1048
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1016
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$819
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$952
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1062
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1128
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$917
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$852
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$865
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$993
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1562
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$971