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Coffee in Pyongyang costs more than a cup of coffee, which is equivalent to a month's salary for North Koreans.

Published: 2026-05-14 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/05/14, Drinking coffee is a common occurrence in many countries, but in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, a cup of coffee costs $3.50 (about 22RMB), which is equivalent to a month's salary for North Korean workers. According to South Korea's Chosun Ilbo, Andrey, an international non-governmental organization conducting vocational education in North Korea, said that the number of residents in Pyongyang who like to drink coffee is increasing. He pointed out that he

Coffee is a common occurrence in many countries, but in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, a cup of coffee costs $3.50, the equivalent of a North Korean worker's monthly wage.

According to South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper, Andre, a representative of the international non-governmental organization "Communication with North Korea", which conducts vocational education in North Korea, said that the number of residents who like to drink coffee in Pyongyang is increasing.

He pointed out that there is a coffee shop attached to the Pyongyang Hotel where he lives in North Korea, which has coffee beans and coffee grinding machines. Andre says espresso and cappuccino taste good, but the beans in drip coffee seem a little stale because they taste a little strange.

The cafe menu includes coffee, caramel macchiato, and even Coca Cola imported from the mainland, but the price of a bottle is 5 US dollars, which is not affordable for the average North Korean working class.

France 24 website reported that 16 million of the 25 million North Koreans are short of food, but Pyongyang citizens can consume imported goods, showing that even in the communist country, there is still a gap between the rich and the poor.

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