Arirang Mass Games
Trip to North Korea in June, 2008
The map of history of Korea in 476, the moment of greatest terr…
A caravan of 501 cattle and 50 vehicles enter Panmunjom, Republ…
Seleção brasileira estreia na Copa do Mundo de 2010 contra a Co…
Topographic map of the territory claimed by North Korea. Create…

North Korea

Sea of Japan, Yellow…
Climate
KPW
Currency
Moderate
Safety
Low
Cost of Living
Korean
Language
Country Information North Korea

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a highly isolated nation located in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Bordered by China and Russia to the north and South Korea to the...

Cost of Living
vs EU Average16% cheaper
Rent
KPW88.00Apartment (1 bedroom) in City…
Meal
KPW3.40Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant
Groceries
KPW0.79Milk (regular), (1 liter)
Transport
KPW0.00One-way Ticket (Local Transpo…
Read the full cost-of-living guide

Your North Korea Roadmap

40+ page relocation analysis tailored to your profile.

  • Custom Tax & Cost Projection
  • District Matching for your Lifestyle
  • Vetted Local Partner Directory

With a safety index of 62/100, North Korea offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.

Entry Requirements & Visa Options

North Korea requires advance visa approval for all international visitors without exception[3]. Unlike most countries, North Korea does not offer visa-on-arrival programs or visa-free entry for any nationality. All visitors holding ordinary passports must obtain a visa in advance from North Korean diplomatic missions[3]. For tourism, visas are issued as a separate Tourist Card rather than a passport stamp, valid for up to 6 months from issuance[2]. The application process typically requires 3-5 weeks for processing[2][7]. Critical requirement: tourists cannot...

Visa-free entry: 30 days
Work permits available
Read full guide

Discover Cities in North Korea

Create your free profile to see personalized match scores.

Location Intelligence for North Korea
Cost of Living39.5

16% below EU avg

Safety62.1

Near EU average

Purchasing Power19.1

73% below EU avg

Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.

Capital

Pyongyang

Timezone

UTC+09:00

Area

120,538 km²

Population

25,778,815

North Korea shows a purchasing power index of 19/100, indicating below average economic conditions for expats.

Economic Overview in North Korea

GDP

N/A

HDI

N/A

Quality of Life

N/A

NYC baseline: 43

Purchasing Power

8/100

-34 vs NYC

Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in North Korea. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.

Comparison data legendCompare:
North Korea
Continent Avg
Work & Business in North Korea
Business ClimateSee full guide for details
Work PermitsRequirements vary by nationality
Key IndustriesExplore opportunities
Read full guide
Education SystemInternational schools, universities & curricula
Explore Guide
Climate

North Korea experiences a cool humid continental climate with four distinct seasons, characterized by cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers influenced by monsoon patterns. Winters bring freezing temperatures, often below -10°C in the north, with snowfall in mountainous areas, while summers feature highs around 25-30°C and heavy rainfall concentrated from June to September.

Climate
Humid continental
Summer
20–30°C
Winter
-23–-7°C
Sunshine
2500+ hrs/yr

3 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details

Read full guide
Demographics in North Korea

Life Expectancy

71.7

Population

25,778,815

Religions

Non-religious
73%

Ethnic Composition

| ethnic_groups_year =
N/A
What Expats Say About North KoreaBETA

Research in Progress

We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for North Korea. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!

We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.

Transportation & Infrastructure in North Korea
Public TransitAvailable in major cities
AirportsInternational connectivity
InfrastructureRoad & rail networks
Read full guide
Social Integration in North Korea
Expat CommunityActive communities available
Cultural IntegrationTips & resources
Language BarrierSee guide for details
Read full guide
Retirement & Benefits in North Korea
Retirement VisaCheck eligibility
Healthcare AccessPublic & private options
Pension RecognitionSee guide for details
Read full guide
Political Landscape & Stability

North Korea is a one-party communist state under totalitarian rule by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, who has consolidated power through purges and military strengthening since 2011. All authority flows from Kim Jong Un, with the Workers' Party of Korea serving as the central governing institution. The regime maintains control through pervasive surveillance, threats of torture and execution, and non-competitive elections where the Supreme People's Assembly automatically approves all government proposals.

System
Communist State under Totalitarian Dictatorship
Democracy
Authoritarian Regime
Legal System
Communist state constitution establishing a dictatorship of people's democracy; judicial system lacks independence with security forces regularly interfering in case outcomes
Read full guide
Environment & Sustainability in North Korea
Air QualitySee detailed assessment
Green SpacesParks & nature areas
SustainabilityEnvironmental policies
Read full guide
North Korea flag
North Korea at a Glance

Capital

Pyongyang

Languages

Korean

UN Member

Yes

Quick Facts for North Korea

Population

25,778,815

Currency

KPW

Timezone

UTC+09:00

Calling Code

+850

Week starts on

Monday

Gini Coefficient

N/A

Traffic side

right side

Location

Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.

All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.