Moving to Latvia from North Korea

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from North Korea to Latvia, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
10 ↓ 9% vs 2015

people born in North Korea live in Latvia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Latvia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to North Korea.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

KP
36.7
LV
33.8
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

KP
68
LV
75

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia 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
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KP
2.5t
LV
3.6t

North Korea generally does better on environment, though Latvia 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%
LV
1.1%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

KP
830 kWh
LV
3,617 kWh

Latvia 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%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KP
$1,700
LV
$37,800

North Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia 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
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KP
22.2
LV
4.8

Latvia 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

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months P'yongyang Riga
Jan–Mar 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month P'yongyang Riga
Jan 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting North Korea

Visa Required
Latvia 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 Latvia?

From major Latvia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Korea and Latvia are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to North Korea?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in health coverage index. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.

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At a Glance

KP LV
Population 25,955,138 1,842,226
Currency North Korean Won (KPW) Euro (€)
Languages Korean Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +850 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112