Cost of Living Comparison Between North Korea and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between North Korea and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $88.0 per month in North Korea vs $391 in Pakistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $140 per month in North Korea vs $592 in Pakistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $192 per month in North Korea vs $792 in Pakistan, rent included.

The cost of living in North Korea is roughly 77% lower than in Pakistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both North Korea and Pakistan are more affordable than the global median – North Korea 93% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$1.81 PKR 502

61.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 $23.33

$12.15 PKR 3,370

92.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 $13.10

$4.29 PKR 1,189

205.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,105

Cappuccino

$1.14 $1.14

$1.74 PKR 482

-34.48%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$0.36 PKR 100

547.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.21 PKR 58.2

438.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.71 $13.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.78 PKR 215

28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.56 PKR 154

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.21 PKR 337

32.23%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$1.20 PKR 334

99.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.69 PKR 1,577

-19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.84 PKR 788

-20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.09 PKR 1,133

39.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.00 PKR 278

574.00%

Banana (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$0.61 PKR 170

654.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.76 PKR 211

209.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.52 PKR 145

351.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$0.38 PKR 106

792.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$0.51 PKR 143

568.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.38 PKR 106

492.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.36 PKR 98.7

33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 558

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 578

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.96 PKR 544

139.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.20 PKR 56.1

410.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.18 $41.18

$7.24 PKR 2,008

468.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.84 PKR 232

82.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.52 PKR 145

305.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$1.79 PKR 496

2271.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.89 PKR 248

-16.85%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

32.49%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

23.42%

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

$34.48 $34.48

$110 PKR 30.5K

-68.63%

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

$11.34 $11.34

$4.58 PKR 1,269

147.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.07 $47.07

$15.58 PKR 4,320

202.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$13.28 PKR 3,682

226.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

$8.84 PKR 2,453

66.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 $7.99

$4.13 PKR 1,147

93.46%

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

$111 $111

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

179.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,153 $2,153

$1,170 PKR 324.5K

84.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.90 $22.90

$15.59 PKR 4,324

46.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 $28.80

$23.77 PKR 6,593

21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 $63.7

$71.9 PKR 19.9K

-11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 $86.7

$32.15 PKR 8,916

169.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.1 $98.1

$115 PKR 31.9K

-14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 $107

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

61.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 $1,478

$274 PKR 76.1K

439.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 $217

$163 PKR 45.1K

33.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,689 $1,689

$965 PKR 267.7K

74.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,421 $1,421

$502 PKR 139.2K

183.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 $234

$186 PKR 51.5K

26.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

18.97

-62.52%

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

Last update for North Korea: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $17.00 in North Korea vs $78.0 in Pakistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $92.0 in Pyongyang and $199 in Islamabad.

Average salary: $230 in North Korea vs $181 in Pakistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 359% higher in Pakistan.

Dining out costs 175% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 75% more expensive in Pakistan.

Salaries are 27% higher in North Korea, and purchasing power comes out stronger in North Korea.

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

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

North Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 14% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Pakistan, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Pakistan consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in North Korea, contributing to the overall 14% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

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