Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaesong and Hong Kong

Kaesong
🇰🇵 North Korea
-
/mo nomad
Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$2,984
/mo nomad
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$8.46 HK$66.4
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$63.2 HK$496
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$6.20 HK$48.66
-
Cappuccino
-
$4.90 HK$38.41
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.27 HK$10.01
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.06 HK$8.31
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$7.68 HK$60.3
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.28 HK$49.24
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$2.86 HK$22.45
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.43 HK$19.10
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.18 HK$17.09
-
Eggs
-
$3.54 HK$27.80
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$25.12 HK$197
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$8.89 HK$69.8
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$17.63 HK$138
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$4.11 HK$32.23
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$2.72 HK$21.32
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$4.59 HK$36.05
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$4.02 HK$31.52
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$3.25 HK$25.50
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$3.27 HK$25.70
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.60 HK$12.54
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.73 HK$13.56
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$13.14 HK$103
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$16.59 HK$130
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.01 HK$15.80
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.18 HK$17.13
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.44 HK$11.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$89.1 HK$699
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.64 HK$28.53
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.31 HK$10.29
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$15.82 HK$124
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$4.06 HK$31.89
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$44.4K HK$348.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$37.4K HK$293.2K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$247 HK$1,942
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$15.89 HK$125
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$21.46 HK$168
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$91.4 HK$717
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$9.08 HK$71.3
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.96 HK$110
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,155 HK$9,067
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$22.3K HK$174.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$68.9 HK$541
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$40.44 HK$317
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$79.9 HK$627
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$118 HK$923
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,180 HK$17.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,718 HK$13.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,047 HK$39.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,543 HK$27.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$29.1K HK$228.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$17.6K HK$137.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kaesong
Hong Kong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,228 HK$25.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.91
-

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

Last update for Kaesong: October 3, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$1.7K
Groceries & Markets
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$415
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$285
Eating Out
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$205
Clothing & Footwear
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$138
Sport & Entertainment
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$119
Getting Around
Kaesong
–
Hong Kong
$105
Good to know
🇰🇵 Kaesong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🕒 Local time
16:49 4:49 PM
15:49 3:49 PM
1 h behind Kaesong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
308,000
1,367,900 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

HKD, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.79 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kaesong Hong Kong 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kaesong
  • Hong Kong

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
Kaesong vs Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where should families live: Kaesong or Hong Kong?
Families tend to lean toward Kaesong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kaesong or Hong Kong safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Kaesong and Hong Kong?
If budget matters most, go with Kaesong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Kaesong vs other spots: cost of living compared

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?