Moving to North Korea from Australia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Australia to North Korea? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Australia to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Australia to North Korea.

Living there in 2020
204 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Australia live in North Korea · UN DESA

Who's moving to North Korea?

Top countries of origin for North Korea's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to Australia.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

AU
87
KP
68

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
KP
2.5t

Australia generally does better on environment, though North Korea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.6%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

AU
9,820 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Australia performs better than North Korea across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
KP
$1,700

Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
KP
22.2

Australia performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

P'yongyang Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Canberra P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Canberra P'yongyang
Jan 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and North Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in North Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check North Korea's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting North Korea

Visa Required
Australia passport holders need a visa to enter North Korea.
North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
North Korea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from North Korea?

From major North Korea cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Australia?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in suicide rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 39.8 in Australia. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Australia?

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU KP
Population 26,141,369 25,955,138
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +61 +850
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000