Cost of living in Pyongyang, prices and what it is like to live for an Expat, quality of life / hardship, and compare cost of living for Expatriates as at October 2023.

What is it like to live in Pyongyang?

Pyongyang: Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea.

Economy: Pyongyang has been completely redesigned since the Korean War (1950–1953). It is designed with wide avenues, imposing monuments, and monolithic buildings. The city also has regular international train services to Beijing and Moscow. A journey to Beijing takes about 25 hours and 25 minutes; a journey to Moscow takes 6 days.

Inflation: 15% for North Korea as at July 2021.

Pyongyang Population: 3.2 Million (2022 est.)

Expat Life: In North Korea there are strict rules regulating the conduct of foreigners/expatriates as well as locals. North Korean society is hierarchical, placing most importance on seniority. Senior hosts will be introduced first. Expatriate dress code is conservative, comprising suits. Businesswomen are expected to dress conservatively. The safety risk for expatriates in North Korea is medium to high. Risks include inadequate travel permission and documentation, information safety, enforced travel changes, and arbitrary interrogation or detention.

Health Care: Health care facilities in North Korea are poor and limited.

For other areas within the country see Democratic Republic of Korea.

Cost Of Living

What is the cost of living in Pyongyang?

The cost of living for expatriates in Pyongyang as at October 2023 is very high in comparison to other places in the world, with an overall Cost of Living Index (COLI), for all 13 basket groups, of 86.63 (New York =100). We have collected prices for the same items, world wide, based on Expat spending norms, in or closest to the location, and converted them to $USD so that we can compare the cost of 13 different baskets in 780 global locations. For each basket, compared to New York, the equivalent cost in Pyongyang is as follows:

1) Alcohol and/or Tobacco: Cost is very high for items such as beer, spirits, wine and tobacco related products such as cigarettes. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$1260.

2) Clothing: Cost is low for items such as business, casual and children's clothing and footwear. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$680.

3) Communication: Cost is average for various communication costs such as home telephone rental, internet subscription, mobile service provider tariff and data costs. A basket costing USD$200 in New York costs USD$190.

4) Education: Cost is very high for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. A basket costing USD$30,000 in New York costs USD$31500.

5) Furniture & Appliances: Cost is very high for items such as dining table and chairs, home entertainment, kitchen appliances, and sofas. A basket costing USD$2,500 in New York costs USD$2900.

6) Groceries: Cost is very high for items such as consumables, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruit & vegetables, general food products, snacks, soft drinks. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$1060.

7) Healthcare: Cost is average for general heath care, doctor visits, hospital stays, non-prescription medicine, and medical insurance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$720.

8) Household Accommodation: Cost is low for items such as apartment rent, house rent, property purchase, mortgage rate, and utilities. A basket costing USD$5,000 in New York costs USD$1300.

9) Miscellaneous: Cost is very high for items such as dry cleaning, linen, magazines, newspapers, office supplies, and postage stamps. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$1005.

10) Personal Care: Cost is very high for items such as cosmetics, hair care, and toiletries. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$505.

11) Recreation & Culture: Cost is very high for items such as books, cinema, sport and theatre tickets. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$715.

12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Cost is average for items such as hotel daily room rates, meals and beverages in a restaurant, and take away food and beverages. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$660.

13) Transport: Cost is very high for items such as fuel (petrol/gasoline), car hire, public transport, vehicle purchase and maintenance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$1200.

How does the cost of living in Pyongyang compare?

Pyongyang is 45% more expensive than Houston TX for groceries, 18.1% more expensive for household costs than Kuala Lumpur, and 62.8% more expensive for transport costs than Dubai.

What is the quality of life / hardship in Pyongyang?

Pyongyang is ranked as an extreme hardship location.The hardship premium for Pyongyang for an expat from Perth, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Pyongyang) premium of 40% minus home (Perth) location premium of 10%.

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