Pyongyang Cost of Living 2026

Pyongyang scores 1/100 on the Anchor Cost Index, making it one of the most affordable cities we track. It ranks #158 of 160 cities worldwide — more expensive than 1% of the cities in our dataset — and #17 of 17 in East Asia.

The headline numbers: a one-bedroom apartment averages $53/month, a Big Mac costs $0.00, a 5 km Uber ride is $0.50, and a Starbucks latte runs $1.50. Together these anchor prices place Pyongyang below the global midpoint for day-to-day living costs.

Depending on lifestyle, a single person needs between $1,500 and $800 per month in Pyongyang. A backpacker staying in hostels and eating locally gets by on about $1,500, a digital nomad with coliving and coworking spends around $0, and an expat professional living centrally should plan for $800. A small family of three needs roughly $350/month.

For the typical digital nomad budget, housing absorbs about 0% ($0) and food about 0% ($0), with transport, utilities and entertainment making up the rest. That means the fastest way to cut costs in Pyongyang is on accommodation — the other categories offer far less room to economize.

Location matters enormously for rent in Pyongyang: a one-bedroom in the city center averages $70/month, while the same apartment outside the center costs about $35 — meaning central living carries a 100% premium. That is a steep premium, so most budget-conscious residents look beyond the center first.

The average after-tax salary in Pyongyang is about $30/month. Median rent consumes roughly 177% of that — far above the 30% affordability guideline, making local salaries a poor match for housing costs. Food costs absorb a further 200% of an average salary. This is why Pyongyang tends to feel more affordable to remote workers earning foreign salaries than to locals.

Based on our derived metrics, Pyongyang is a challenging pick for remote workers (nomad score 0/100). For households, families face headwinds here (family score 30/100). Use the comparison tool to weigh Pyongyang directly against the cities on your shortlist.