Pyongyang vs Thimphu - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Thimphu
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1675
$422
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4114
$1047
🏠 One person rent
$959
$145
🏘️ Family rent
$2118
$225
🍽️ Food expenses
$496
$176
🚐 Transport expenses
$168
$46
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$411
$550
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Bad
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
22 km
🎓 Higher education
19
5
😀 Quality of life
20
34
🏙️ Population
2.86M
115K

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 297% more expensive than in Thimphu. Cities ranked 2779th and 8915th ($1675 vs $422) 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 0.2 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.3 months in Thimphu. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Thimphu ranked 1st in Bhutan, while ranked 8868th and 7592nd among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Pyongyang vs Thimphu infographic

Share this infographic!

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
$8.46
$3.18
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$112
$17.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.05
$4.04
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.87
$2.3
☕ Cappuccino
$1.89
$1.86
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.51
$0.54
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$892
$159
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$805
$94.7
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3191
$250
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1625
$161
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.2
$16.8
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$25.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$55.5
$20.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.14%
10.76%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1656
$605
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$984
$920
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.38
$1.48
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.4
$27.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19
$19.4
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.89
$0.91
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.52
$0.84
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.62
$0.77
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$0.72
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.54
$2.02
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.54
$4.92
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.1
$4.2
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.86
$4.11
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.15
$2.1
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.16
$1.4
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$1.77
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.95
$0.77
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.95
$0.48
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.97
$0.55
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.21
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.15
$1.06
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.94
$4.94
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.71
$0.73
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.82
$3.79
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.34
$1.58
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.9
$3.59
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.52
$1.25
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.43
$0.65
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$24.2
$38.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.24
$3.23
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16
$28.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.35
$3.27
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.4
$32
👟 Brand Sneakers
$63
$43.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$103
$239
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3399
$666

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

More cities to compare

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 Thimphu

Distance City Cost of living
22 km or 14 mi Paro
$459
147 km or 91 mi Siliguri
$312
196 km or 122 mi Rangpur
$296
203 km or 126 mi Saidpur
$296
211 km or 131 mi Shigatse
$900
214 km or 133 mi Damak
$317
257 km or 159 mi Raiganj
$309
257 km or 160 mi Guwahati
$342
258 km or 160 mi Biratnagar
$323
259 km or 161 mi Dispur
$335
266 km or 166 mi Balurghat
$307
280 km or 174 mi Lhasa
$963
287 km or 178 mi Purnia
$300
294 km or 183 mi Bogra
$280
308 km or 191 mi Shillong
$408
313 km or 195 mi Malda
$308
313 km or 195 mi Mymensingh
$264
350 km or 217 mi Saharsa
$292
360 km or 224 mi Bhagalpur
$282
362 km or 225 mi Rajshahi
$274
364 km or 226 mi Sylhet
$305
377 km or 234 mi Janakpur
$292
401 km or 249 mi Berhampore
$304
413 km or 257 mi Narsingdi
$295
418 km or 260 mi Brahmanbaria
$297
421 km or 262 mi Kathmandu
$419
424 km or 264 mi Lalitpur
$341
426 km or 265 mi Dhaka
$430
438 km or 272 mi Agartala
$367
439 km or 273 mi Narayanganj
$309
444 km or 276 mi Muzaffarpur
$288
454 km or 282 mi Hetauda
$294
468 km or 291 mi Krishnanagar
$281
474 km or 295 mi Birgunj
$321
482 km or 299 mi Jessore
$289
486 km or 302 mi Shantipur
$294
493 km or 306 mi Patna
$316
495 km or 308 mi Durgapur
$292
500 km or 311 mi Asansol
$299
502 km or 312 mi Kulti
$300