Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and North Korea

Name: North Korea
Address: KP

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $838 in North Korea, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in North Korea
Learn more

North Korea Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇳 India

$399

/mo nomad

🇰🇵 North Korea

$838

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India 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 India and in North Korea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $399 in India versus $838 in North Korea.

India $399
North Korea $838

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in India versus $1,313 in North Korea.

India $639
North Korea $1,313

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $879 in India versus $1,788 in North Korea.

India $879
North Korea $1,788

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $230 to $813, compared to $415–$709 in North Korea. City choice carries more weight in India.

Living in India costs about 52% less than in North Korea on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, North Korea 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹203

$2.86 $2.86

-25.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.46 ₹993

$22.87 $22.87

-54.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ₹360

$19.38 $19.38

-80.39%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ₹159

$1.09 $1.09

54.13%

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

$0.38 ₹35.91

$2.21 $2.21

-82.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.57

$1.21 $1.21

-87.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ₹177

$13.17 $13.17

-85.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₹302

$3.42 $3.42

-7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹59.1

$0.88 $0.88

-29.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.66

$2.47 $2.47

-79.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.2

$1.56 $1.56

-59.62%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.1

$2.99 $2.99

-67.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.85 ₹460

$5.04 $5.04

-3.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 ₹270

$3.89 $3.89

-26.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$6.07 $6.07

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.3

$4.95 $4.95

-86.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.1

$2.20 $2.20

-55.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.20

$2.26 $2.26

-79.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹31.80

$4.45 $4.45

-92.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.64

$4.49 $4.49

-90.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹44.29

$2.22 $2.22

-78.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.61

$0.46 $0.46

-32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 ₹482

$4.54 $4.54

11.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 ₹693

$7.76 $7.76

-5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹154

$1.13 $1.13

44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹262

$2.18 $2.18

26.61%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.11 ₹485

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₹24.80

$1.00 $1.00

-74.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹814

$38.76 $38.76

-77.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₹94.5

$1.47 $1.47

-31.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.68

$2.19 $2.19

-87.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹146

$40.90 $40.90

-96.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹102

$0.70 $0.70

52.86%

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

$11.2K ₹1.1M

$22.2K $22.2K

-49.49%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$27.9K $27.9K

-28.24%

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

$37.08 ₹3,519

$34.10 $34.10

8.74%

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

$3.58 ₹340

$10.98 $10.98

-67.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.15 ₹678

$44.81 $44.81

-84.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.00 ₹1,423

$58.2 $58.2

-74.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.17 ₹680

$14.76 $14.76

-51.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.20 ₹303

$7.90 $7.90

-59.49%

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

$58.8 ₹5,580

$105 $105

-43.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,667 ₹158.1K

$2,086 $2,086

-20.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.03 ₹2,186

$21.90 $21.90

5.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,294

$28.28 $28.28

-14.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.20 ₹3,909

$60.7 $60.7

-32.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.62 ₹2,810

$83.1 $83.1

-64.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹13.9K

$93.9 $93.9

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.4 ₹9,144

$106 $106

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ₹32.5K

$1,404 $1,404

-75.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.2K

$205 $205

14.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,177 ₹111.7K

$1,698 $1,698

-30.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 ₹60.1K

$1,380 $1,380

-54.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 ₹38.8K

$230 $230

77.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.93

7.11

25.60%

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

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Last update for North Korea: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

India

$102 25.6%

North Korea

$246 29.3% 141% $144

Accommodation & Living

India

$96 24.1%

North Korea

$106 12.6% 9.5% $9.2

Eating Out

India

$67 16.7%

North Korea

$180 21.5% 171% $114

Clothing & Footwear

India

$53 13.3%

North Korea

$87 10.4% 64.3% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

India

$48 12%

North Korea

$90 10.7% 88% $42

Sport & Entertainment

India

$21 5.4%

North Korea

$74 8.8% 246% $53

Getting Around

India

$12 3%

North Korea

$55 6.6% 360% $43

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $120 in India, $89 in North Korea. Capital cities: $277 in Delhi vs $88 in Pyongyang.

National salary averages: $412 in India, $228 in North Korea. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 35% higher in India.

Dining out costs 164% more in North Korea.

Public transport is 375% more expensive in North Korea.

Salaries are 81% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇮🇳 India

🇰🇵 North Korea

🕒 Local time

08:19 8:19 AM

11:49 11:49 AM

3 h 30 min ahead of India

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,326,093,247

26,418,204

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.54 USD

1,000 INR = 9.4 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 94.89 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.4 EUR).

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

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

India North Korea 4,570 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

India
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

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

At $399 per month in India and $838 in North Korea, India comes out about 52% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.