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

Name: Turkey
Address: TR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $88.0 per month in North Korea vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $140 per month in North Korea vs $1,675 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $192 per month in North Korea vs $2,268 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in North Korea is roughly 92% lower than in Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both North Korea and Turkey are more affordable than the global median – North Korea 93% lower, Turkey 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$8.90 ₺420

-67.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 $23.33

$37.67 ₺1,775

-38.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 $13.10

$7.72 ₺364

69.69%

Cappuccino

$1.14 $1.14

$3.33 ₺157

-65.77%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$1.34 ₺63.1

73.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.48 ₺22.72

135.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.71 $13.71

$3.59 ₺169

281.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$4.45 ₺210

-36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.99 ₺46.47

1.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.81 ₺38.26

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.18 ₺103

-26.61%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$2.31 ₺109

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$9.86 ₺465

-53.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$5.71 ₺269

-60.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$19.55 ₺922

-70.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.34 ₺63.1

402.99%

Banana (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.28 ₺107

101.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.23 ₺57.9

91.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.53 ₺72.1

53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$0.72 ₺33.98

370.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$0.61 ₺28.92

459.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.04 ₺49.20

116.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.47 ₺22.31

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.14 ₺101

119.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$11.22 ₺529

-27.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.13 ₺100

-46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.97 ₺140

-21.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.72 ₺33.81

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.18 $41.18

$46.57 ₺2,195

-11.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.09 ₺51.4

40.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.66 ₺31.05

219.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$7.77 ₺366

446.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.17 ₺55.2

-36.75%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$42.5K ₺2.0M

-44.45%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$43.2K ₺2.0M

-32.16%

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

$34.48 $34.48

$69.0 ₺3,254

-50.06%

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

$11.34 $11.34

$10.86 ₺512

4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.07 $47.07

$14.06 ₺663

234.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$49.31 ₺2,324

-12.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

$18.14 ₺855

-18.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 $7.99

$6.47 ₺305

23.49%

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

$111 $111

$637 ₺30.0K

-82.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,153 $2,153

$12.9K ₺607.4K

-83.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.90 $22.90

$54.5 ₺2,568

-57.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 $28.80

$44.31 ₺2,088

-35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 $63.7

$108 ₺5,068

-40.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 $86.7

$94.7 ₺4,465

-8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.1 $98.1

$646 ₺30.4K

-84.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 $107

$445 ₺21.0K

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 $1,478

$1,173 ₺55.3K

26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 $217

$722 ₺34.0K

-69.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,689 $1,689

$1,740 ₺82.0K

-2.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,421 $1,421

$1,058 ₺49.9K

34.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 $234

$1,087 ₺51.2K

-78.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

42.38

-83.22%

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

Last update for North Korea: July 12, 2026

Last update for Turkey: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $17.00 in North Korea vs $527 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $92.0 in Pyongyang and $726 in Ankara.

Average salary: $230 in North Korea vs $1,041 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 3000% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 650% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 675% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 353% higher in Turkey, 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 Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 262% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in North Korea, contributing to the overall 262% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in North Korea, but in Turkey 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.