Pyongyang vs Tokyo - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Pyongyang Tokyo
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1659
$1698
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3633
$4089
🏠 One person rent
$946
$829
🏘️ Family rent
$1645
$1453
🍽️ Food expenses
$492
$435
🚐 Transport expenses
$168
$322
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$138
$2574
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
19
100
😀 Quality of life
23
99
🏙️ Population
2.86M
14.3M

The cost of living in Pyongyang is 2% less expensive than in Tokyo. Cities ranked 3285th and 3130th ($1659 vs $1698) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 3rd in North Korea and Japan, respectively. Check North Korea vs Japan comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.1 months in Pyongyang compared to 1.5 months in Tokyo. Pyongyang ranked 1st best city to live in North Korea vs Tokyo ranked 1st in Japan, while ranked 9031st and 4th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Pyongyang vs Tokyo infographic

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Prices in Pyongyang vs Tokyo

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

Pyongyang Tokyo
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.36
$7.1
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$111
$39.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5
$5.04
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$3.96
 Cappuccino
$1.93
$3.41
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.51
$1.19
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$881
$1001
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$793
$631
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1575
$1794
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1439
$1151
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$80.8
$93.7
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$125
$143
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$54.5
$30.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.74%
1.61%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1667
$10581
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$992
$5243
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.35
$1.45
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.2
$75.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$19.1
$30.3
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.88
$1.14
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.51
$1.51
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.64
$1.53
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.65
$4.16
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.52
$2.27
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.4
$14.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.9
$7.33
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.87
$20.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.11
$5.05
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.17
$2.57
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$5.39
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.98
$5.06
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.96
$3.15
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.99
$3.2
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.59
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.18
$1.7
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.01
$9.55
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$2.13
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.78
$4.02
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.08
$10.4
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.86
$3.32
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.48
$1.44
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.38
$1.43
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$25
$60.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.33
$13
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$16.8
$29.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$3.97
$22.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$28.2
$55
👟 Brand Sneakers
$63.8
$63.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$98.7
$518
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3611
$14795

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
$1550
44 km or 27 mi Nampo
$1565
46 km or 29 mi Sunchon
$1573
59 km or 36 mi Sariwon
$1560
65 km or 41 mi Anju
$1563
76 km or 47 mi Kaechon
$1569
77 km or 48 mi Chongju
$1553
95 km or 59 mi Tokchon
$1555
111 km or 69 mi Haeju
$1565
115 km or 71 mi Kusong
$1544
135 km or 84 mi Huichon
$1544
138 km or 86 mi Kaesong
$1568
149 km or 92 mi Wonsan
$1569
163 km or 102 mi Paju
$1065
165 km or 102 mi Sinuiju
$1564
165 km or 103 mi Donggang
$537
167 km or 104 mi Dandong
$550
170 km or 106 mi Dongducheon
$1023
178 km or 111 mi Gimpo
$1098
180 km or 112 mi Yangju
$948
180 km or 112 mi Pocheon
$1028
181 km or 112 mi Goyang
$1097
183 km or 113 mi Uijeongbu
$918
184 km or 114 mi Hamhung
$1607
192 km or 119 mi Incheon
$1088
193 km or 120 mi Bucheon
$1175
195 km or 121 mi Seoul
$1383
199 km or 124 mi Gwangmyeong
$1090
202 km or 125 mi Guri
$1134
202 km or 125 mi Namyangju
$1138
209 km or 130 mi Gwacheon
$1078
210 km or 130 mi Anyang
$1004
210 km or 131 mi Hanam
$1178
212 km or 132 mi Ansan
$1049
213 km or 132 mi Fengcheng
$517
213 km or 133 mi Gunpo
$1112
215 km or 134 mi Seongnam
$1435
216 km or 134 mi Uiwang
$1080
216 km or 134 mi Siheung
$1307
217 km or 135 mi Chuncheon
$874

Cities near Tokyo

Distance City Cost of living
12 km or 7.3 mi Musashino
$1110
12 km or 7.4 mi Komae
$1115
12 km or 7.5 mi Mitaka
$1125
13 km or 8 mi Wako
$1035
13 km or 8.4 mi Kawaguchi
$1025
14 km or 8.5 mi Hirai
$1055
14 km or 8.9 mi Toda
$961
14 km or 8.9 mi Chofu
$1113
14 km or 9 mi Nishitokyo
$1094
15 km or 9.3 mi Asaka
$1020
15 km or 9.4 mi Warabi
$945
16 km or 10 mi Niiza
$1033
17 km or 10 mi Higashikurume
$1049
17 km or 11 mi Koganei
$1066
18 km or 11 mi Kawasaki-ku
$1198
18 km or 11 mi Inagi
$1058
18 km or 11 mi Soka
$1047
18 km or 11 mi Kiyose
$1025
19 km or 12 mi Shiki
$972
19 km or 12 mi Kawasaki
$1354
19 km or 12 mi Urayasu
$1068
20 km or 12 mi Fuchu
$1088
20 km or 12 mi Saitama
$1037
20 km or 12 mi Kodaira
$1066
20 km or 12 mi Yashio
$1002
21 km or 13 mi Kokubunji
$1050
21 km or 13 mi Higashimurayama
$1040
21 km or 13 mi Miyoshi
$997
22 km or 14 mi Ichikawa
$1041
22 km or 14 mi Matsudo
$1024
23 km or 14 mi Misato
$1005
23 km or 14 mi Fujimi
$975
23 km or 14 mi Kunitachi
$1050
23 km or 14 mi Tama
$1040
24 km or 15 mi Tokorozawa
$1061
24 km or 15 mi Koshigaya
$1078
25 km or 15 mi Tachikawa
$1073
25 km or 15 mi Higashiyamato
$1044
26 km or 16 mi Yoshikawa
$1031
26 km or 16 mi Fujimino
$961