Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $426 a month against $1,224 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Bali
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Bali Living Index

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Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$426

/mo nomad

Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,224

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pyongyang and in Bali

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 Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $426 per month in Pyongyang vs $1,224 in Bali, rent included.

Pyongyang $426
Bali $1,224

A couple spends around $696 per month in Pyongyang vs $2,064 in Bali, rent included.

Pyongyang $696
Bali $2,064

A family of three spends $965 per month in Pyongyang vs $2,904 in Bali, rent included.

Pyongyang $965
Bali $2,904

Pyongyang is about 65% cheaper than Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pyongyang and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Pyongyang 68% lower, Bali 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.93 $4.93

$2.74 Rp 49.0K

79.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 $36.47

$29.64 Rp 529.8K

23.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.96 $21.96

$4.74 Rp 84.7K

363.29%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

-49.10%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

59.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

93.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.69 $13.69

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

519.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.62 Rp 64.7K

33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

-36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.17 Rp 38.7K

9.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.08 $2.08

$1.97 Rp 35.2K

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.41 Rp 293.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 Rp 65.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 Rp 206.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 Rp 60.2K

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.0K

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.0K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,577

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$21.94 Rp 392.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.6K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,661

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.08 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,853

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,491

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

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

$24.2K Rp 433.4M

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

$31.5K Rp 563.1M

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

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.63 Rp 118.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 Rp 327.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$45.56 Rp 814.4K

66.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 Rp 272.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

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

$442 Rp 7.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,246 Rp 93.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.18 Rp 789.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 Rp 610.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.0 $91.0

$994 Rp 17.8M

-90.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 $89.7

$588 Rp 10.5M

-84.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,084 Rp 55.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 $135

$1,496 Rp 26.7M

-90.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 Rp 42.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 Rp 36.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$223 Rp 4.0M

12.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Pyongyang: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Eating Out

Pyongyang

$211 50%

Bali

$89 7.3% 57.7% $122

Accommodation & Living

Pyongyang

$90 21.3%

Bali

$588 48% 556% $499

Sport & Entertainment

Pyongyang

$76 * 18%

Bali

$53 4.3% 30.2% $23

Groceries & Markets

Pyongyang

$45 * 10.7%

Bali

$274 22.4% 511% $229

Getting Around

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Bali

$12 1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Bali

$105 8.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Pyongyang

- * 0%

Bali

$104 8.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $91.0 in Pyongyang versus $994 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Pyongyang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Pyongyang versus $30.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $45.00 in Pyongyang vs $274 in Bali – so Pyongyang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🇮🇩 Bali

🕒 Local time

20:59 8:59 PM

19:59 7:59 PM

1 h behind Pyongyang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,255,288 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pyongyang Bali 5,390 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Pyongyang
Bali

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 Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 187% more than Pyongyang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $639 per month in Pyongyang and $1,836 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pyongyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $426 in Pyongyang and $1,224 in Bali. That's a gap of about 187%.

Groceries cost about 511% more in Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pyongyang, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Bali at $1,224. In Pyongyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pyongyang costs $426 versus $1,224 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Pyongyang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.