Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and North Korea

Name: North Korea
Address: KP

For one person, living is cheaper in North Korea: $838 a month against $2,310 in Canada, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

111

Cost of Living Index in Canada
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Canada Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in North Korea
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North Korea Living Index

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🇨🇦 Canada

$2,310

/mo nomad

🇰🇵 North Korea

$838

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Canada and in North Korea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Canada and in North Korea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,310 per month in Canada vs $838 in North Korea, rent included.

Canada $2,310
North Korea $838

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Canada vs $1,313 in North Korea, rent included.

Canada $3,356
North Korea $1,313

A family of three spends $4,403 per month in Canada vs $1,788 in North Korea, rent included.

Canada $4,403
North Korea $1,788

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($889–$3,737) than in North Korea ($415–$709), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Canada is about 176% higher than in North Korea on average.

Canada sits 70% above the global median, while North Korea is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 CA$25.40

$2.86 $2.86

534.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$22.87 $22.87

211.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.12

$19.38 $19.38

-44.22%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.28

$1.09 $1.09

246.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.21 $2.21

-4.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.21 $1.21

37.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 CA$7.86

$13.17 $13.17

-57.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.00

$3.42 $3.42

67.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.04

$0.88 $0.88

146.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.47 $2.47

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.11

$1.56 $1.56

133.97%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$2.99 $2.99

21.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 CA$15.05

$5.04 $5.04

113.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.90 CA$16.64

$3.89 $3.89

205.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.42 CA$21.57

$5.68 $5.68

171.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.63

$6.07 $6.07

-33.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$4.95 $4.95

-72.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.42

$2.20 $2.20

76.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.71

$2.26 $2.26

80.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$4.45 $4.45

-42.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.46

$4.49 $4.49

-44.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.70

$2.22 $2.22

19.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$0.46 $0.46

271.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.32 CA$20.02

$4.54 $4.54

215.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 CA$18.86

$7.76 $7.76

73.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.13 $1.13

151.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.62

$2.18 $2.18

51.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.00 $1.00

155.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.9 CA$101

$38.76 $38.76

85.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.45

$1.47 $1.47

116.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.15

$2.19 $2.19

-29.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.69 CA$37.32

$40.90 $40.90

-34.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$0.70 $0.70

77.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K CA$39.0K

$22.2K $22.2K

25.56%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.1K CA$29.5K

$27.9K $27.9K

-24.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$147 CA$206

$34.10 $34.10

332.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.80 CA$58.5

$10.98 $10.98

280.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 CA$84.2

$44.81 $44.81

34.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.01 CA$54.6

$58.2 $58.2

-33.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.06 CA$26.66

$14.76 $14.76

29.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.67

$7.90 $7.90

41.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$721 CA$1,008

$105 $105

588.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.8K

$2,086 $2,086

611.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$77.3

$21.90 $21.90

152.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 CA$54.5

$28.28 $28.28

37.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 CA$122

$60.7 $60.7

44.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$142

$83.1 $83.1

21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,805

$93.9 $93.9

1274.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 CA$1,580

$106 $106

970.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 CA$2,847

$1,404 $1,404

45.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 CA$2,420

$205 $205

745.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,769 CA$6,669

$1,698 $1,698

180.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,730 CA$5,215

$1,380 $1,380

170.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,070 CA$4,292

$230 $230

1235.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

7.11

-31.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026

Last update for North Korea: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Canada

$1.1K 48.9%

North Korea

$106 12.6% 90.7% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Canada

$371 16.1%

North Korea

$246 29.3% 33.7% $125

Eating Out

Canada

$278 12%

North Korea

$180 21.5% 35% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Canada

$249 10.8%

North Korea

$90 10.7% 64% $160

Clothing & Footwear

Canada

$127 5.5%

North Korea

$87 10.4% 31.5% $40

Getting Around

Canada

$93 4%

North Korea

$55 6.6% 40.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Canada

$61 2.7%

North Korea

$74 8.8% 20.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,250 in Canada vs $89 in North Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,434 in Ottawa and $88 in Pyongyang.

Average salary: $2,968 in Canada vs $228 in North Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1304% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 121% more in Canada.

Public transport is 74% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are about 13 times higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Canada

🇰🇵 North Korea

🕒 Local time

22:02 10:02 PM

12:02 12:02 PM

14 h ahead of Canada

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,991,981

26,418,204

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.715 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Canada North Korea 10,380 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Canada
North Korea

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Canada vs North Korea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 64% lower on average.

Housing costs more in Canada: a central one-bedroom averages $1,250 versus $89 in North Korea.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in North Korea – part of why living there is about 64% cheaper overall.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in North Korea, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

North Korea is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.