Pyongyang vs Thimphu - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Thimphu
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1675
$412
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3651
$1010
🏠 One person rent
$960
$152
🏘️ Family rent
$1648
$235
🍽️ Food expenses
$494
$169
🚐 Transport expenses
$167
$38.5
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$126
$462
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Bad
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
22 km
🎓 Higher education
19
5
😀 Quality of life
23
45
🏙️ Population
2.86M
115K

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 306% more expensive than in Thimphu. Cities ranked 3341st and 8957th ($1675 vs $412) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 2nd in North Korea and Bhutan, respectively. Check North Korea vs Bhutan comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.1 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.1 months in Thimphu. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Thimphu ranked 1st in Bhutan, while ranked 9065th and 7238th 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 Thimphu

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

Pyongyang Thimphu
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.41
$2.71
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$16.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.02
$4.08
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.92
$2.2
 Cappuccino
$1.99
$1.73
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.53
$0.52
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$891
$170
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$806
$100
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1610
$251
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1432
$172
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.4
$17.1
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$26.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.4
$20.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.8%
10.88%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1642
$577
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$900
$895
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.33
$1.65
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$46.8
$11
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.2
$18.4
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$0.75
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.5
$0.8
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$0.73
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.63
$0.61
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.56
$1.78
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.54
$4.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$4
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.88
$4.08
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.13
$2.11
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.14
$1.41
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.8
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.93
$0.71
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3
$0.47
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.98
$0.56
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.34
$0.21
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.16
$1
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.96
$5.53
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.73
$0.66
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.84
$3.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.17
$1.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.93
$3.41
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.54
$1.17
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.46
$0.6
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.9
$37.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.26
$3.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$17.1
$27.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.46
$3.07
👖 Brand Jeans
$27.9
$30.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$62.9
$42.2
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$114
$230
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4189
$633

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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 Thimphu

Distance City Cost of living
22 km or 14 mi Paro
$443
147 km or 91 mi Siliguri
$293
196 km or 122 mi Rangpur
$307
203 km or 126 mi Saidpur
$320
211 km or 131 mi Shigatse
$943
214 km or 133 mi Damak
$310
257 km or 159 mi Raiganj
$299
257 km or 160 mi Guwahati
$339
258 km or 160 mi Biratnagar
$315
259 km or 161 mi Dispur
$335
266 km or 166 mi Balurghat
$299
280 km or 174 mi Lhasa
$1012
287 km or 178 mi Purnia
$283
294 km or 183 mi Bogra
$293
308 km or 191 mi Shillong
$344
313 km or 195 mi Malda
$300
313 km or 195 mi Mymensingh
$287
350 km or 217 mi Saharsa
$278
360 km or 224 mi Bhagalpur
$253
362 km or 225 mi Rajshahi
$281
364 km or 226 mi Sylhet
$327
377 km or 234 mi Janakpur
$284
401 km or 249 mi Berhampore
$298
413 km or 257 mi Narsingdi
$350
418 km or 260 mi Brahmanbaria
$325
421 km or 262 mi Kathmandu
$412
424 km or 264 mi Lalitpur
$340
426 km or 265 mi Dhaka
$481
438 km or 272 mi Agartala
$355
439 km or 273 mi Narayanganj
$351
444 km or 276 mi Muzaffarpur
$281
454 km or 282 mi Hetauda
$285
468 km or 291 mi Krishnanagar
$275
474 km or 295 mi Birgunj
$319
482 km or 299 mi Jessore
$314
486 km or 302 mi Shantipur
$290
493 km or 306 mi Patna
$308
495 km or 308 mi Durgapur
$284
500 km or 311 mi Asansol
$280
502 km or 312 mi Kulti
$285