πŸ’š
#158 Worldwide

Pyongyang Cost of Living 2026

North Korea β€’ East Asia

Anchor Cost Index

1

Very Affordable

#158
of 160 cities
2%
More expensive than
#17
in East Asia
Very Affordable
Cost Level

πŸ“‰Anchor Price Breakdown β€” vs Global Average

πŸ”Big Mac
β€”
PyongyangGlobal avg: $4.09
🏠1BR Rent
$53.00-94%
PyongyangGlobal avg: $950.72
πŸš—Uber 5km
$0.50-89%
PyongyangGlobal avg: $4.51
β˜•Starbucks Latte
$1.50-63%
PyongyangGlobal avg: $4.10
πŸ“ΊYouTube Premium
β€”
PyongyangGlobal avg: $7.51
Below average
Above average
Global average

πŸ“ŠAnchor Price Breakdown

ℹ️Sources: Public economic data, market research
πŸ”
Big Mac
McDonald's signature burger
β€”
N/A
0
Weight: 20%Global avg: $4.09
🏠
1BR Rent
City-wide median monthly
$53.00/mo
-94% vs avg
0
Weight: 30%Global avg: $950.72
πŸš—
Uber 5km
Average 5km ride fare
$0.50
-89% vs avg
0
Weight: 20%Global avg: $4.51
β˜•
Starbucks Latte
Tall Latte price
$1.50
-63% vs avg
3
Weight: 15%Global avg: $4.10
πŸ“Ί
YouTube Premium
Monthly subscription
β€”
N/A
0
Weight: 15%Global avg: $7.51

πŸ“ˆKey Metrics

ℹ️Calculated from verified cost data
🏠
177%
Rent Burden
Rent as % of avg salary
🍽️
200%
Food Affordability
Food as % of avg salary
πŸ’»
0/100
Nomad Score
Digital nomad friendliness
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§
30/100
Family Score
Family friendliness

πŸ’΅Monthly Budget Scenarios

ℹ️Based on crowdsourced price data
πŸŽ’
Backpacker
Hostels, street food, public transit
$1,500/mo
Housing
$900
Food
$200
Transport
$50
Utilities
$0
Entertainment
$100
Other
$250
πŸ’»
Digital Nomad
Coliving, coworking, mix of cooking & dining
$0/mo
Housing
$0
Food
$0
Transport
$0
Utilities
$0
Entertainment
$0
Other
$0
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§
Small Family
2 adults + 1 child, outside center apartment
$350/mo
Housing
$80
Food
$150
Transport
$20
Utilities
$20
Entertainment
$30
Other
$50
🏒
Expat Professional
City center, quality lifestyle
$800/mo
Housing
$200
Food
$300
Transport
$50
Utilities
$30
Entertainment
$100
Other
$120

Monthly Budget Range

πŸŽ’ Backpacker

$1,500

🏒 Professional

$800

πŸ“‹Extended Costs (60+ Items)

ℹ️Aggregated from public sources
1BR Apartment (City Center)$70.00/mo
1BR Apartment (Outside Center)$35.00/mo
3BR Apartment (City Center)$140.00/mo
3BR Apartment (Outside Center)$80.00/mo
Price per mΒ² (Buy, City)$800.00/mΒ²
Price per mΒ² (Buy, Outside)$400.00/mΒ²
Hostel/Dormitory$30.00/night

πŸ“ˆ How Pyongyang Compares

Cheaper than
157cities
More expensive than
0cities
Rank in East Asia
#17/17

Understanding Cost Index

0-20
Very Affordable
21-40
Affordable
41-60
Moderate
61-80
Expensive
81-100
Very Expensive

πŸ’‘Tips for Living in Pyongyang

Affordable Housing: With average rent at $53.00/month for a 1-bedroom apartment, Pyongyang offers relatively affordable housing compared to global averages. Consider negotiating directly with landlords for better rates.

Getting Around: A 5km Uber ride costs $0.50 in Pyongyang. Ride-hailing is very affordable here β€” use it freely for short distances.

Digital Nomad Budget: Plan for approximately $0/month as a digital nomad in Pyongyang, covering coworking, accommodation, food, and local transport.

Best Time to Move: Research visa requirements for North Korea well in advance. Costs shown are in USD and may fluctuate with exchange rates.

❓Frequently Asked Questions About Pyongyang

What is the cost of living in Pyongyang, North Korea?

Pyongyang has an Anchor Cost Index of 1/100, making it very affordable. A 1-bedroom apartment costs $53.00/month, a Big Mac is β€”, and an Uber ride (5km) costs $0.50.Pyongyang ranks #158 out of 160 cities worldwide.

How much does rent cost in Pyongyang?

The average 1-bedroom apartment in Pyongyang costs $53.00/month. This is below the global average of $950.72/month. A digital nomad can expect to spend around $0/month total in Pyongyang.

Is Pyongyang expensive compared to other cities?

Pyongyang is more expensive than 0 cities and cheaper than 157 cities in our database. In East Asia, it ranks #17 out of 17 cities. Cities with similar costs include New Delhi, Tegucigalpa, Colombo.

How much money do I need to live in Pyongyang?

Monthly budgets vary by lifestyle: a backpacker needs ~$1,500/mo, a digital nomad ~$0/mo, a small family ~$350/mo, and an expat professional ~$800/mo. These include housing, food, transport, and lifestyle expenses.

πŸ“Š Data Sources

We aggregate data from trusted sources to provide accurate cost of living comparisons. All prices are converted to USD.

πŸ”
Big Mac Index
Global purchasing power indicator (2024)

Purchasing power parity indicator

🏠
Cost of Living & Rent
Crowdsourced global cost data (2024)

Verified price data from multiple sources

πŸš—
Transport & Services
Regional transport pricing data (2024)

Taxi, rideshare, public transit prices

πŸ“Ί
Digital Subscriptions
Regional pricing data (2024)

Streaming services, digital platforms

Data is updated periodically. Prices may vary based on location, promotions, and exchange rates.