Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Moldova instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 2.4 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 74 years (72 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Moldova, that number is 71 years (67 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 86.5% more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 11.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Moldova, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 51.9% more likely to die by suicide

North Korea has a suicide rate of 9.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Moldova, it is 14.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 57.6% less likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Moldova, that number is 1.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 71.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 67.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Moldova, 19.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 13.5% more likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 13.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Moldova, on the other hand, 15.1 children do as of 2024.

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have 17.7% fewer children

In North Korea, there are approximately 12.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Moldova, there are 10.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 73.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 58% of people have electricity access (36% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Moldova, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

live with 54.7% less strain on fresh water

North Korea withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Moldova withdraws 13% as of 2022.

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use 3.1 times more electricity

North Korea uses 789 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Moldova uses 2,412 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 32.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In North Korea, air pollution causes 86.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Moldova, it causes 58.0 as of 2019.

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emit 36.8% more CO2

North Korea emits 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Moldova emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019). How we calculate this

Compare further: North Korea vs. Moldova

Cost of Living Comparison · 4 categories - 2026 data
Moldova is 54.9% more expensive than North Korea overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
North Korea is about 3.6 times bigger than Moldova.
→
Moving from North Korea to Moldova · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Moldova: At a glance

Moldova is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 32,891 sq km. Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although the country has been independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River supporting the separatist region of Transnistria, composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizeable ethnic Moldovan minority. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a communist, Vladimir VORONIN, as its president in 2001. VORONIN served as Moldova's president until he resigned in September 2009, following the opposition's gain of a narrow majority in July parliamentary elections and the Communist Party's (PCRM) subsequent inability to attract the three-fifths of parliamentary votes required to elect a president and, by doing so, put into place a permanent government. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), iterations of which have acted as Moldova's governing coalitions since. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty between 2009 and early 2012, holding three general elections and numerous presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president. Following November 2010 parliamentary elections, a reconstituted AEI-coalition consisting of three of the four original AEI parties formed a government, and in March 2012 was finally able to elect an independent as president. As of late May 2013, the ruling coalition - comprised of two of the original AEI parties and a splinter group from a third - is called the Pro-European Coalition. In November 2013, the Moldovan Government initialed an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU), advancing the coalition's policy priority of EU integration.
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