cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/3953768
After studying DPRK wages and prices for a while, I wanted to make a comparison between the economic life of a north Korean coal miner in North Hamgyong Province compared to one in West Virginia, USA.
Working conditions
Workweek
DPRK: 6 hours/day, 6 days/week (36 hours)
USA: 10 hours/day, 5 days/week (50 hours)
Paid Time Off
DPRK: 52 weekends + 71 national holidays + 28 PTO = 151 days
US: 104 weekends + 11 national holidays = 124 days
% unionized
DPRK: 100% (+ Taean work system giving extra worker democracy)
USA: 17%
Monthly wages & expenses
Wages
DPRK: 360,000 KPW
USA: 4,600 USD
Rent
DPRK: Free
USA: 600 USD (13% income)
Utilities
DPRK: Free
USA: 200 USD (4.3% income)
Food
DPRK: Free (From PDS)
USA: 710 USD (15.4% income)
Healthcare
DPRK: Free
USA: 1400 USD (30% income)
Taxes
DPRK: No taxes
USA: 750 USD (16% income)
Leftover Salary after monthly expenses
DPRK: 360,000 KPW
USA: 940 USD
One-time purchases
Television
DPRK: 22,000 KPW (6% of saved income, subsidized by state)
USA: 100 USD (11% of saved income)
Bicycle
DPRK: 250,000 KPW (69% of saved income, unreliable figure)
USA: 100 USD (11% of saved income)
However, most Americans cannot navigate with just a bike and need a car (15,000 USD) while DPRK residents only need a bike due to better-planned towns.
Aspirin, one bottle
DPRK: 600 KPW (0.17% saved income)
USA: $8 (0.89% saved income)
Eating out at a medium-grade restaurant, per person
DPRK: 20,000 KPW (5.6% saved income)
USA: 25 USD (2.8% saved income)
Ski Vacation, per person
DPRK: Free (Paid for by government)
USA: 2,500 USD (278% saved income)
Long-term Expenses
Childbirth
DPRK: Free (Covered by healthcare)
USA: 20,000 USD (2200% saved income)
Tertiary Education
DPRK: Free (All universities)
USA: 52,000 USD (4 years at WVU, 5780% saved income)
Funeral
DPRK: Free (Paid for by government)
USA: 5000 USD (556% saved income)
Please tell me if I made a mistake or missed out on something crucial. Of course, there is no way to portray the increased workers’ rights and enhanced democratic system in numbers.
Have you consider Ifone Vuvuzuela 18 octomobilion?
In seriousness though that’s pretty interesting but also a touch misleading as a comparison as standards of living are quite vastly different with the DPRK (as far as I’m aware) still being quite a poor country generally. The US is still first world after all. Is definitely quite impressive on the DPRKs part for doing so much.