Pyongyang vs Shanghai - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Pyongyang Shanghai
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1669
$1147
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3681
$3146
🏠 One person rent
$957
$636
🏘️ Family rent
$1680
$1119
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$279
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$105
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$159
$1068
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
13 km
🎓 Higher education
19
99
😀 Quality of life
23
76
🏙️ Population
2.86M
24.9M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 45% more expensive than in Shanghai. Cities ranked 3318th and 4880th ($1669 vs $1147) 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 0.9 months in Shanghai. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Shanghai ranked 5th in China, while ranked 9024th and 1178th among best cities to live in the world.

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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
$8.42
$4.42
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$30.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.04
$5.19
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$1.44
 Cappuccino
$1.98
$3.21
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.52
$0.57
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$887
$849
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$804
$520
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1630
$1495
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1466
$937
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$80.6
$38.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$126
$59.3
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.1
$11.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.65%
3.19%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1605
$14068
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$874
$6729
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.3
$0.54
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$46.9
$29.4
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19
$5.76
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.9
$1.23
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$2.14
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$1.81
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.62
$1.1
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.54
$1.87
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.49
$16.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.8
$3.33
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.88
$13
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$2.43
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.12
$1.87
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$1.84
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.95
$1.75
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.01
$0.83
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.93
$0.94
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.45
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.17
$1.31
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.01
$11.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.71
$0.9
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.19
$2.95
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.27
$6.37
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.89
$7.05
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.53
$2.11
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.38
$2.24
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$23.9
$70.6
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.14
$8.79
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16.1
$98.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$3.92
$12
👖 Brand Jeans
$28
$46.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$61.1
$71.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$131
$1268
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4572
$27610

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 Shanghai

Distance City Cost of living
9.4 km or 5.8 mi Pudong
$1030
47 km or 29 mi Taicang
$708
53 km or 33 mi Kunshan
$726
74 km or 46 mi Qidong
$725
82 km or 51 mi Suzhou
$798
82 km or 51 mi Jiaxing
$596
85 km or 53 mi Haimen
$643
88 km or 55 mi Changshu
$678
106 km or 66 mi Nantong
$581
117 km or 73 mi Zhangjiagang
$652
121 km or 75 mi Wuxi
$686
135 km or 84 mi Huzhou
$680
141 km or 87 mi Jiangyin
$658
142 km or 88 mi Zhoushan
$571
144 km or 89 mi Ningbo
$660
148 km or 92 mi Jingjiang
$645
155 km or 96 mi Shaoxing
$670
158 km or 98 mi Yixing
$663
159 km or 99 mi Changzhou
$636
160 km or 100 mi Rugao
$659
161 km or 100 mi Hangzhou
$899
177 km or 110 mi Taixing
$651
179 km or 111 mi Hai'an
$664
191 km or 119 mi Liyang
$657
197 km or 122 mi Yangzhong
$627
198 km or 123 mi Guangde
$667
201 km or 125 mi Danyang
$623
208 km or 129 mi Taizhou
$693
217 km or 135 mi Dongtai
$691
223 km or 139 mi Zhenjiang
$538
235 km or 146 mi Yangzhou
$623
236 km or 146 mi Jurong
$644
244 km or 152 mi Ningguo
$661
246 km or 153 mi Yiwu
$696
250 km or 155 mi Xinghua
$693
250 km or 156 mi Yizheng
$620
259 km or 161 mi Linhai
$677
260 km or 161 mi Xuancheng
$684
262 km or 163 mi Gaoyou
$644
274 km or 170 mi Nanjing
$789