Moving to North Korea from New York

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What to Expect

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

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

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from New York to North Korea, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
1,049 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in United States 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

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NY
29.9%
KP
6.8%

North Korea performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NY
4.4%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NY
$91,992
KP
$1,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NY
77.7 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs

New York performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Albany P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Albany P'yongyang
Jan 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting United States

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

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 New York?

North Korea performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

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

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At a Glance

KP
Population 19,378,102 25,955,138
Currency United States Dollar ($) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +850
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911