Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $426 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

12

Cost of Living Index in Pyongyang
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Pyongyang Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$426

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pyongyang and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Pyongyang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Pyongyang $426
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $696 in Pyongyang versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Pyongyang $696
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $965 in Pyongyang versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Pyongyang $965
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Pyongyang costs roughly 84% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pyongyang is 68% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.93 $4.93

$20.22 $20.22

-75.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 $36.47

$85.0 $85.0

-57.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.96 $21.96

$12.35 $12.35

77.81%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$5.47 $5.47

-79.34%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$3.82 $3.82

-42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.50 $2.50

-48.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.69 $13.69

$8.06 $8.06

69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$8.99 $8.99

-46.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.13 $1.13

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.78 $3.78

-37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$3.25 $3.25

-72.00%

Eggs

$2.08 $2.08

$4.14 $4.14

-49.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

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

$35.8K $35.8K

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$219 $219

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

$58.0 $58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$57.9 $57.9

31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.0 $91.0

$1,932 $1,932

-95.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 $89.7

$1,272 $1,272

-92.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 $135

$2,525 $2,525

-94.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$5,105 $5,105

-95.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Pyongyang: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Eating Out

Pyongyang

$211 50%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 65% $137

Accommodation & Living

Pyongyang

$90 21.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 1318% $1.2K

Sport & Entertainment

Pyongyang

$76 * 18%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 13.5% $10

Groceries & Markets

Pyongyang

$45 * 10.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 797% $358

Getting Around

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

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 $91.0 in Pyongyang and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1938% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Pyongyang vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $45.00 vs $403 per month, with Pyongyang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

02:10 2:10 AM

14 h behind Pyongyang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,255,288 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

USD USD

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pyongyang Austin, TX 11,090 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Pyongyang
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated June 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Pyongyang vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang wins on cost – living expenses run 535% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pyongyang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1938% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $91.0 in Pyongyang versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $426 per month in Pyongyang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 535% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 797% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $426 in Pyongyang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyongyang but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Pyongyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Pyongyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 535% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.