Moving to North Korea from Germany

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Germany to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

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

affects wait times and access to care

DE
45.2
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

DE
88
KP
68

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DE
15.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DE
6.9t
KP
2.5t

Germany 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

DE
35.4%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

DE
5,947 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though North Korea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.0%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
KP
$1,700

Germany 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

DE
81.5 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DE
3.2
KP
22.2

Germany 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.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Berlin P'yongyang
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Germany

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

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 Germany?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in adult obesity rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 45.2 in Germany. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Germany, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

DE KP
Population 84,316,622 25,955,138
Currency Euro (€) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages German Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112