Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $246 in Pyongyang versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $393 in Pyongyang versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $541 in Pyongyang versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Pyongyang costs roughly 90% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pyongyang is 82% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 $22.96

$68.7 €58.7

-66.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

Cappuccino

$1.19 $1.19

$2.76 €2.36

-56.88%

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

$2.35 $2.35

$2.78 €2.38

-15.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.05 €1.75

-42.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.06 $14.06

$4.61 €3.93

204.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.59 €3.92

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.28 €1.09

-21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.11 €1.80

14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.97 €1.68

-53.81%

Eggs

$2.05 $2.05

$3.44 €2.94

-40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

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

$38.7K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €27.6K

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

$189 €161

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

$22.21 €18.96

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.9 $90.9

$1,526 €1,304

-94.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.0 $93.0

$1,218 €1,040

-92.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 $140

$2,027 €1,731

-93.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 $260

$2,404 €2,053

-89.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Pyongyang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $90.9 in Pyongyang and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 825% 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: $23.00 in Pyongyang vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $46.00 vs $320 per month, with Pyongyang cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang and Barcelona differ by about 854% in total monthly costs ($246 vs $2,341 including rent). Pyongyang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 825% less. 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: $90.9 in Pyongyang versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pyongyang – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $246 per month in Pyongyang versus $2,341 in Barcelona – a 854% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $246 in Pyongyang versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyongyang but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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 Barcelona 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 854% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.