Pyongyang vs Shanghai - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Shanghai
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1672
$1136
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4098
$3654
🏠 One person rent
$957
$602
🏘️ Family rent
$2107
$1527
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$293
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$116
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$424
$1905
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
13 km
🎓 Higher education
19
100
😀 Quality of life
16
79
🏙️ Population
2.86M
24.9M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 47% more expensive than in Shanghai. Cities ranked 2973rd and 4780th ($1672 vs $1136) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 6th in North Korea and China, respectively. Check North Korea vs China comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.3 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.7 months in Shanghai. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Shanghai ranked 4th in China, while ranked 9011th and 571st among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Pyongyang vs Shanghai infographic

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Prices in Pyongyang vs Shanghai

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

Pyongyang Shanghai
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.46
$3.99
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$42.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.03
$5.51
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.89
$1.43
 Cappuccino
$1.91
$3.61
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$0.53
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$893
$897
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$803
$461
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3195
$2549
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1610
$1181
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.5
$36.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$56.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$54.9
$16.9
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.42%
4.28%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1714
$16156
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$930
$8893
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.37
$0.57
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.3
$36.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$18.9
$6.13
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.88
$1.19
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.53
$2.41
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.65
$1.99
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$1.41
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.53
$2.11
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.39
$15.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$3.46
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.69
$11.4
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.14
$2.33
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$1.64
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$2.05
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$1.7
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.95
$0.98
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$1.07
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.37
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$1.32
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.04
$11.2
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$0.86
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.8
$3.51
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.27
$6.62
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$7.04
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.56
$1.72
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.4
$2.03
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.2
$55
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$8.47
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$90.7
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.42
$11.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.6
$58.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$64.5
$78.6
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$104
$1263
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3493
$31401

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
$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 Shanghai

Distance City Cost of living
9.4 km or 5.8 mi Pudong
$1028
47 km or 29 mi Taicang
$706
53 km or 33 mi Kunshan
$749
74 km or 46 mi Qidong
$738
82 km or 51 mi Suzhou
$1020
82 km or 51 mi Jiaxing
$585
85 km or 53 mi Haimen
$661
88 km or 55 mi Changshu
$718
106 km or 66 mi Nantong
$620
117 km or 73 mi Zhangjiagang
$676
121 km or 75 mi Wuxi
$686
135 km or 84 mi Huzhou
$706
141 km or 87 mi Jiangyin
$685
142 km or 88 mi Zhoushan
$612
144 km or 89 mi Ningbo
$733
148 km or 92 mi Jingjiang
$674
155 km or 96 mi Shaoxing
$742
158 km or 98 mi Yixing
$702
159 km or 99 mi Changzhou
$729
160 km or 100 mi Rugao
$674
161 km or 100 mi Hangzhou
$843
177 km or 110 mi Taixing
$665
179 km or 111 mi Hai'an
$676
191 km or 119 mi Liyang
$690
197 km or 122 mi Yangzhong
$629
198 km or 123 mi Guangde
$698
201 km or 125 mi Danyang
$630
208 km or 129 mi Taizhou
$673
217 km or 135 mi Dongtai
$698
223 km or 139 mi Zhenjiang
$538
235 km or 146 mi Yangzhou
$650
236 km or 146 mi Jurong
$651
244 km or 152 mi Ningguo
$703
246 km or 153 mi Yiwu
$708
250 km or 155 mi Xinghua
$699
250 km or 156 mi Yizheng
$617
259 km or 161 mi Linhai
$702
260 km or 161 mi Xuancheng
$771
262 km or 163 mi Gaoyou
$648
274 km or 170 mi Nanjing
$774