Moving to North Korea from Brunei

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Brunei to North Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Brunei to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — P'yongyang averages 60°F vs 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Brunei to North Korea.

How's the healthcare?

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

affects wait times and access to care

BN
19.1
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

BN
78
KP
68

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BN
20.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BN
20.2t
KP
2.5t

Brunei 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

BN
3.5%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2022

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

BN
11,198 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Brunei 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

BN
5.3%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BN
$77,900
KP
$1,700

Brunei 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

BN
78.4 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BN
10.5
KP
22.2

Brunei generally does better on family life, though North Korea leads in literacy rate.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bandar Seri Begawan Rain: 114.7 in/yr (2913 mm)
89° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bandar Seri Begawan P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Bandar Seri Begawan P'yongyang
Jan 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei 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.

Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Brunei

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

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?

Usually fine from major cities in North Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Brunei?

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.

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At a Glance

BN KP
Population 478,054 25,955,138
Currency Brunei Dollar (BND) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages Malay Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +673 +850
Time zones 1 1