Moving to Hong Kong from North Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from North Korea to Hong Kong — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from North Korea to Hong Kong, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Hong Kong averages 79°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How North Korea and Hong Kong stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
North Korea performs better than Hong Kong across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Hong Kong performs significantly 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
North Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Hong Kong leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
Hong Kong performs significantly 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 | P'yongyang | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | P'yongyang | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) |
| May | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) |
| Jul | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) |
| Aug | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) |
| Oct | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) |
Data:
Hong Kong Observatory
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and Hong Kong. To live, work, or study long-term in Hong Kong, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Hong Kong's immigration authority.
North Korea passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa Required
Hong Kong passport holder visiting North Korea
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 Hong Kong?
Working remotely from Hong Kong's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Korea and Hong Kong.
What's the weather like in Hong Kong compared to North Korea?
The average high temperature in Hong Kong is 79°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Hong Kong receives around 95.7 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in Hong Kong?
The official languages in Hong Kong are Chinese and English. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.
