Quality of life comparison
compared to
If you lived in New York instead of North Korea, you would:
Health
be 2.5 times more likely to be obese
In North Korea, 11.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In New York, that number is 29.9% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 24.3% more likely to be unemployed
In North Korea, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In New York, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
Sources: World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Bank (2025), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025). How we calculate this
Compare further: North Korea vs. New York
Cost of Living Comparison · 4 categories - 2026 data
New York is 5.4 times more expensive than North Korea overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
North Korea is around the same size as New York.
→
Moving from North Korea to New York · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→
