Moving to Philippines from North Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from North Korea to Philippines — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from North Korea to Philippines, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Get free moving quotes to Philippines
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from North Korea to Philippines, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
-
6.6,123
North Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
How North Korea and Philippines stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Philippines leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
North Korea generally does better on environment, though Philippines leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Philippines 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
Philippines performs significantly better than North Korea across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
North Korea performs better than Philippines 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 | P'yongyang | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | P'yongyang | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and Philippines. To live, work, or study long-term in Philippines, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Philippines's immigration authority.
North Korea passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Required
Philippines 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 Philippines?
Working remotely from Philippines'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 Philippines.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to North Korea?
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in adult obesity rate. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to North Korea?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.
