Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Saudi Arabia instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 5.2 years longer

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 74 years (72 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Saudi Arabia, that number is 79 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 89.8% less likely to die by suicide

North Korea has a suicide rate of 9.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Saudi Arabia, it is 0.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.4 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 11.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Saudi Arabia, that number is 40.1% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 14.1% less likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Saudi Arabia, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.

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Life

be 89.6% 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 Saudi Arabia, 7.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 64.7% 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 Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 28.3% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 12.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Saudi Arabia, there are 16.5 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 Saudi Arabia, 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

use 15.1 times more electricity

North Korea uses 789 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Saudi Arabia uses 11,911 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 35.1 times more strain on fresh water

North Korea withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Saudi Arabia withdraws 974% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 7.4 times more CO2

North Korea emits 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Saudi Arabia emits 18.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: North Korea vs. Saudi Arabia

Cost of Living Comparison · 4 categories - 2026 data
Saudi Arabia is 2.2 times more expensive than North Korea overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
North Korea is about 18 times smaller than Saudi Arabia.
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Moving from North Korea to Saudi Arabia · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Saudi Arabia: At a glance

Saudi Arabia is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 2,149,690 sq km. Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz ascended to the throne in 2005. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH since 2005 has worked to incrementally modernize the Kingdom - driven by personal ideology and political pragmatism - through a series of social and economic initiatives, including expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the role of the private sector in the economy, and discouraging businesses from hiring foreign workers. The Arab Spring inspired protests - increasing in number since 2011 but usually small in size - over primarily domestic issues among Saudi Arabia's majority Sunni population. Riyadh has taken a cautious but firm approach by arresting some protesters but releasing most of them quickly, and by using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. In addition, Saudi Arabia has seen protests among the Shia populace in the Eastern Province, who have protested primarily against the detention of political prisoners, endemic discrimination, and Bahraini and Saudi Government actions in Bahrain. Protests are met by a strong police presence, with some arrests, but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. In response to the unrest, King ABDALLAH in February and March 2011 announced a series of benefits to Saudi citizens including funds to build affordable housing, salary increases for government workers, and unemployment entitlements. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide in September 2011 for half the members of 285 municipal councils - a body that holds little influence in the Saudi Government. Also in September, the king announced that women will be allowed to run for and vote in future municipal elections - first held in 2005 - and serve as full members of the advisory Consultative Council. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 17% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are ongoing governmental concerns.
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