Moving to North Korea from Hong Kong
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Hong Kong to North Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Hong Kong 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 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Hong Kong to North Korea, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to North Korea?
Top countries of origin for North Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 29,248
- 5,477
- 2,990
- 2,841
- 1,444
- 1,049
- · · ·
-
17.166
Hong Kong
Key Indicator Comparison
How Hong Kong and North Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
North Korea performs significantly better than Hong Kong across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Hong Kong performs better than North Korea across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Hong Kong generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
Hong Kong performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) |
Data:
Hong Kong Observatory
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa Required
North Korea passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa RequiredData: 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?
Working remotely from North Korea's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Hong Kong and North Korea.
What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in North Korea?
The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
