Pyongyang vs Shanghai - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Shanghai
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1675
$1126
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3651
$3097
🏠 One person rent
$960
$600
🏘️ Family rent
$1648
$1068
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$293
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$108
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$126
$879
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
13 km
🎓 Higher education
19
99
😀 Quality of life
23
75
🏙️ Population
2.86M
24.9M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 49% more expensive than in Shanghai. Cities ranked 3341st and 4971st ($1675 vs $1126) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 5th in North Korea and China, respectively. Check North Korea vs China comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.1 months in Pyongyang compared to 0.8 months in Shanghai. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Shanghai ranked 4th in China, while ranked 9065th and 1655th 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 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
$8.41
$5.01
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$36.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.02
$5.51
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.92
$1.69
 Cappuccino
$1.99
$3.77
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.53
$0.54
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$891
$803
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$806
$486
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1610
$1462
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1432
$880
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.4
$37.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$58.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.4
$13
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.8%
3.34%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1642
$14215
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$900
$7113
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.33
$0.47
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$46.8
$30.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.2
$6.45
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$1.15
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.5
$1.94
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$1.8
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.63
$1.3
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.56
$1.79
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.54
$16.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$3.91
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.88
$11.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$2.35
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.14
$1.74
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.78
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.93
$1.76
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3
$0.89
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.98
$1.04
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.34
$0.45
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.16
$1.27
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.96
$12.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.73
$0.92
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.84
$3.46
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.17
$6.19
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$6.91
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.54
$2.07
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.46
$2.21
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.9
$61.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$7.84
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$17.1
$94.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.46
$12
👖 Brand Jeans
$27.9
$50.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$62.9
$78.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$114
$1114
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4189
$27781

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
$1551
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1580
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1574
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1560
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1551
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1572
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1539
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1560
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1568
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1540
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1545
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1563
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1572
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1049
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1574
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$534
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$544
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1007
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1068
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$937
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1008
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1092
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$913
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1604
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1057
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1167
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1363
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1071
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1117
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1120
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1061
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$988
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1162
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1044
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$517
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1112
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1425
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1063
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1292
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$867

Cities near Shanghai

Distance City Cost of living
9.4 km or 5.8 mi Pudong
$1002
47 km or 29 mi Taicang
$669
53 km or 33 mi Kunshan
$696
74 km or 46 mi Qidong
$701
82 km or 51 mi Suzhou
$782
82 km or 51 mi Jiaxing
$594
85 km or 53 mi Haimen
$620
88 km or 55 mi Changshu
$644
106 km or 66 mi Nantong
$557
117 km or 73 mi Zhangjiagang
$667
121 km or 75 mi Wuxi
$683
135 km or 84 mi Huzhou
$643
141 km or 87 mi Jiangyin
$650
142 km or 88 mi Zhoushan
$584
144 km or 89 mi Ningbo
$671
148 km or 92 mi Jingjiang
$636
155 km or 96 mi Shaoxing
$680
158 km or 98 mi Yixing
$684
159 km or 99 mi Changzhou
$623
160 km or 100 mi Rugao
$646
161 km or 100 mi Hangzhou
$860
177 km or 110 mi Taixing
$636
179 km or 111 mi Hai'an
$647
191 km or 119 mi Liyang
$652
197 km or 122 mi Yangzhong
$611
198 km or 123 mi Guangde
$652
201 km or 125 mi Danyang
$604
208 km or 129 mi Taizhou
$675
217 km or 135 mi Dongtai
$678
223 km or 139 mi Zhenjiang
$525
235 km or 146 mi Yangzhou
$618
236 km or 146 mi Jurong
$626
244 km or 152 mi Ningguo
$644
246 km or 153 mi Yiwu
$667
250 km or 155 mi Xinghua
$677
250 km or 156 mi Yizheng
$601
259 km or 161 mi Linhai
$661
260 km or 161 mi Xuancheng
$665
262 km or 163 mi Gaoyou
$632
274 km or 170 mi Nanjing
$765