Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Pyongyang versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $701 in Pyongyang versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $974 in Pyongyang versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Pyongyang costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pyongyang 69% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 $4.97

$4.56 ฿150

8.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.71 $36.71

$32.62 ฿1,073

12.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.03 $22.03

$8.90 ฿293

147.53%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$2.80 ฿92.2

-59.64%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$0.88 ฿28.94

165.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.49 ฿16.08

177.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.93 $13.93

$2.39 ฿78.5

482.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.71 ฿122

33.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.79 ฿58.8

-48.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.44 ฿47.40

63.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.58 ฿52.1

-40.51%

Eggs

$2.09 $2.09

$2.13 ฿69.9

-1.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

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

$10.99 ฿361

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 $78.8

$53.5 ฿1,760

47.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.5 $91.5

$730 ฿24.0K

-87.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 $93.6

$500 ฿16.4K

-81.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 $137

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-88.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 $258

$503 ฿16.6K

-48.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Pyongyang: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.5 in Pyongyang and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% 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: $37.00 in Pyongyang vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $45.00 vs $273, with Pyongyang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 194% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Phuket. 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: $91.5 in Pyongyang versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 508% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pyongyang – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $427 in Pyongyang versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyongyang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pyongyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pyongyang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pyongyang and Phuket 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 194% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.