Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Pyongyang

For one person, living costs are similar in Dhaka and in Pyongyang: $426 and $426 a month, rent and utilities included.

21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
12

Cost of Living Index in Pyongyang
Learn more

Pyongyang Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Pyongyang

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Dhaka versus $426 in Pyongyang.

Dhaka $426
Pyongyang $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Dhaka versus $696 in Pyongyang.

Dhaka $735
Pyongyang $696

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,043 in Dhaka versus $965 in Pyongyang.

Dhaka $1,043
Pyongyang $965

Monthly costs are close between Dhaka and Pyongyang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Pyongyang 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 ৳306

$4.93 $4.93

-49.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.06 ৳1,605

$36.47 $36.47

-64.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ৳594

$21.96 $21.96

-78.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$2.34 ৳287

$1.13 $1.13

107.08%

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

$0.30 ৳37.39

$2.19 $2.19

-86.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.96

$1.28 $1.28

-87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.69 $13.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ৳98.1

$0.92 $0.92

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ৳79.3

$2.37 $2.37

-72.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ৳87.3

$0.91 $0.91

-21.98%

Eggs

$1.21 ৳149

$2.08 $2.08

-41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 ৳1,065

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ৳395

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 ৳823

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ৳335

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 ৳109

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ৳291

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ৳79.6

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.20

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ৳60.7

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ৳38.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.31

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳819

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ৳396

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.54 ৳2,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ৳48.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ৳411

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ৳141

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

$30.3K ৳3.7M

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

$33.0K ৳4.1M

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

$46.32 ৳5,692

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

$4.33 ৳532

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.63 ৳1,306

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.37 ৳2,012

$75.9 $75.9

-78.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 ৳1,983

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ৳508

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

$90.7 ৳11.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,649 ৳325.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.48 ৳2,025

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 ৳2,580

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 ৳6,175

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.46 ৳4,480

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ৳18.6K

$91.0 $91.0

66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 ৳9,044

$89.7 $89.7

-17.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 ৳53.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ৳26.3K

$135 $135

58.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,622 ৳199.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 ৳93.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ৳30.6K

$250 $250

-0.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Last update for Pyongyang: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$123 28.5%

Pyongyang

$45 * 10.7% 63.4% $78

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$74 17.1%

Pyongyang

$90 21.3% 21.9% $16

Eating Out

Dhaka

$64 15%

Pyongyang

$211 50% 228% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$61 14.3%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$56 13%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.4%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$25 5.7%

Pyongyang

$76 * 18% 208% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Dhaka and $91.0 in Pyongyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pyongyang pays 1% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $36.00 in Pyongyang. Groceries flip the comparison at $123 vs $45.00, with Pyongyang cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🕒 Local time

11:03 11:03 AM

14:03 2:03 PM

3 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

3,255,288 Capital

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dhaka Pyongyang 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Pyongyang

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

Dhaka vs Pyongyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Pyongyang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $152 in Dhaka versus $91.0 in Pyongyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pyongyang – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $13.00 in Dhaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Supermarket bills run roughly 173% higher in Dhaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pyongyang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and Pyongyang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Pyongyang wins on affordability, Dhaka on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.