Moving to North Korea from Indonesia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Indonesia 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 Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
1,444 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in Indonesia 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 Indonesia.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ID
6.9
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

ID
55
KP
68

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ID
58.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
KP
2.5t

Indonesia 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

ID
29.7%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

ID
1,445 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Indonesia 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

ID
3.4%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$14,100
KP
$1,700

Indonesia 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

ID
73.1 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
19.7
KP
22.2

Indonesia 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.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta P'yongyang
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia 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.

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Indonesia

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

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 Indonesia and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Indonesia?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in suicide rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID KP
Population 277,329,163 25,955,138
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages Indonesian Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +62 +850
Time zones 3 1
Emergency number 112