Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

have 16.2% more access to essential health services

North Korea scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Russia scores 79 as of 2021.

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be 47.4% more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 11.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Russia, that number is 17.6% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide

North Korea has a suicide rate of 9.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Russia, it is 21.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 39.8% less likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Russia, that number is 2.1% as of 2025.

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Life

be 86.6% 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 Russia, 9.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 69.2% less 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 Russia, on the other hand, 4.1 children do as of 2024.

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have 34.7% fewer children

In North Korea, there are approximately 12.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Russia, there are 8.4 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 Russia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Geography

see 15.1 times more coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Russia, that number is 37,653 km.

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Infrastructure

live with 85.1% less strain on fresh water

North Korea withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Russia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 9.2 times more electricity

North Korea uses 789 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Russia uses 7,285 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 54.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In North Korea, air pollution causes 86.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Russia, it causes 39.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.6 times more CO2

North Korea emits 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Russia emits 14.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Compare further: North Korea vs. Russia

Cost of Living Comparison · 4 categories - 2026 data
Russia is 70.7% more expensive than North Korea overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
North Korea is about 142 times smaller than Russia.
→
Moving from North Korea to Russia · UN DESA 2020
10,617 people born in North Korea live in Russia.
→

Russia: At a glance

Russia is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 16,377,742 sq km. Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state in which the leadership seeks to legitimize its rule through managed national elections, populist appeals by President PUTIN, and continued economic growth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.
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How big is Russia compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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