Moving to North Korea from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to North Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to New Zealand.
How's the healthcare?
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand generally does better on environment, though North Korea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) |
New Zealand National Meteorological ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa Required
North Korea passport holder visiting New Zealand
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?
From major North Korea cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Zealand and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in North Korea compared to New Zealand?
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in North Korea compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in North Korea?
The official language in North Korea is Korean. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
