Pyongyang vs Shanghai - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Shanghai
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1675
$1097
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4114
$3454
🏠 One person rent
$959
$577
🏘️ Family rent
$2118
$1404
🍽️ Food expenses
$496
$287
🚐 Transport expenses
$168
$110
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$411
$1644
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
13 km
🎓 Higher education
19
100
😀 Quality of life
20
78
🏙️ Population
2.86M
24.9M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 53% more expensive than in Shanghai. Cities ranked 2779th and 4858th ($1675 vs $1097) 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 0.2 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.5 months in Shanghai. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Shanghai ranked 4th in China, while ranked 8868th and 675th 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
$4.55
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$112
$39.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.05
$5.4
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.87
$1.45
 Cappuccino
$1.89
$3.93
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.51
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$892
$823
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$805
$455
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3191
$2226
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1625
$1115
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.2
$33.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$51.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.5
$14.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.14%
3.83%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1656
$14361
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$984
$8086
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.38
$0.55
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.4
$34.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19
$5.85
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$1.13
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$2.2
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.62
$1.95
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$1.35
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.54
$1.84
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.54
$15.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.1
$3.29
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.86
$10.9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.15
$2.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.16
$1.64
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$1.81
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.95
$1.54
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.95
$0.86
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.97
$1.12
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.37
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.15
$1.26
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.94
$12.2
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.71
$0.84
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.82
$3.39
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.34
$6.38
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.9
$6.95
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.52
$1.68
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.43
$2.27
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.2
$55.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.24
$8.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$87.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.35
$11.1
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.4
$60.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$63
$75.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$103
$1181
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3399
$30174

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
$1548
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1570
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1574
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1561
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1554
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1565
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1547
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1546
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1550
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1549
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1538
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1565
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1568
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1075
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1572
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$505
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$503
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1055
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1099
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$974
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1040
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1171
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$955
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1597
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1092
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1163
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1334
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1089
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1122
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1129
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1070
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1022
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1161
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1070
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$492
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1098
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1400
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1063
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1283
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$865

Cities near Shanghai

Distance City Cost of living
9.4 km or 5.8 mi Pudong
$984
47 km or 29 mi Taicang
$665
53 km or 33 mi Kunshan
$700
74 km or 46 mi Qidong
$701
82 km or 51 mi Suzhou
$868
82 km or 51 mi Jiaxing
$573
85 km or 53 mi Haimen
$631
88 km or 55 mi Changshu
$645
106 km or 66 mi Nantong
$602
117 km or 73 mi Zhangjiagang
$640
121 km or 75 mi Wuxi
$670
135 km or 84 mi Huzhou
$670
141 km or 87 mi Jiangyin
$657
142 km or 88 mi Zhoushan
$590
144 km or 89 mi Ningbo
$708
148 km or 92 mi Jingjiang
$643
155 km or 96 mi Shaoxing
$716
158 km or 98 mi Yixing
$695
159 km or 99 mi Changzhou
$702
160 km or 100 mi Rugao
$644
161 km or 100 mi Hangzhou
$805
177 km or 110 mi Taixing
$636
179 km or 111 mi Hai'an
$643
191 km or 119 mi Liyang
$654
197 km or 122 mi Yangzhong
$603
198 km or 123 mi Guangde
$650
201 km or 125 mi Danyang
$607
208 km or 129 mi Taizhou
$644
217 km or 135 mi Dongtai
$665
223 km or 139 mi Zhenjiang
$522
235 km or 146 mi Yangzhou
$620
236 km or 146 mi Jurong
$621
244 km or 152 mi Ningguo
$642
246 km or 153 mi Yiwu
$677
250 km or 155 mi Xinghua
$665
250 km or 156 mi Yizheng
$592
259 km or 161 mi Linhai
$661
260 km or 161 mi Xuancheng
$672
262 km or 163 mi Gaoyou
$621
274 km or 170 mi Nanjing
$746