Moving to Ecuador from North Korea

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from North Korea to Ecuador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Quito averages 71°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
507 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in North Korea live in Ecuador · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ecuador?

Top countries of origin for Ecuador's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

KP
36.7
EC
23.1
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

KP
68
EC
77

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KP
86.0
EC
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KP
2.5t
EC
2.6t

North Korea generally does better on environment, though Ecuador leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KP
27.7%
EC
6.8%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2022

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

KP
830 kWh
EC
1,589 kWh

Ecuador performs significantly better than North Korea across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

KP
$1,700
EC
$14,300

North Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Ecuador leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KP
71.8 yrs
EC
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KP
22.2
EC
18.1

Ecuador 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months P'yongyang Quito
Jan–Mar 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 72°/49°F (22°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) 70°/49°F (21°/10°C)
View all months
Month P'yongyang Quito
Jan 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C)
Feb 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Mar 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C)
May 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Jun 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C)
Jul 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C)
Aug 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C)
Sep 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C)
Nov 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C)
Dec 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and Ecuador. To live, work, or study long-term in Ecuador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ecuador's immigration authority.

North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Ecuador

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

Ecuador passport holder visiting North Korea

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Ecuador?

Usually fine from major cities in Ecuador. 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 Ecuador compared to North Korea?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador leads in health coverage index. There are 23.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ecuador, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. Ecuador scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Quito is 71°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Quito receives around 43.2 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ecuador?

The official language in Ecuador is Spanish. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.

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At a Glance

KP EC
Population 25,955,138 17,289,554
Currency North Korean Won (KPW) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Korean Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +850 +593
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 911