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: $245 in Pyongyang versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $385 in Pyongyang versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $526 in Pyongyang versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Pyongyang costs roughly 81% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pyongyang 82% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 $23.41

$45.37 ฿1,482

-48.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$1.17 $1.17

$2.93 ฿95.6

-60.07%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$0.69 ฿22.40

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.37 ฿11.99

208.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.65 $13.65

$2.41 ฿78.6

466.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.72 ฿122

-7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.23 ฿72.9

-56.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.83 ฿59.8

32.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.17 ฿70.8

-57.60%

Eggs

$2.08 $2.08

$2.21 ฿72.3

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 $92.6

$613 ฿20.0K

-84.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.0 $92.0

$437 ฿14.3K

-78.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 $139

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-90.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 $253

$508 ฿16.6K

-50.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Pyongyang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.6 in Pyongyang and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 101% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $46.00 vs $293 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 417% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 101% 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: $92.6 in Pyongyang versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 540% 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 $23.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $245 in Pyongyang versus $1,265 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 417% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.