Moving to Saudi Arabia from North Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from North Korea to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from North Korea to Saudi Arabia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to North Korea.
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 Saudi Arabia 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
North Korea performs better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
North Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia leads in electricity per capita.
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 Saudi Arabia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | P'yongyang | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | P'yongyang | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
National Center for MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and Saudi Arabia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saudi Arabia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saudi Arabia's immigration authority.
North Korea passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
From major Saudi Arabia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Korea and Saudi Arabia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to North Korea?
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in health coverage index. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to North Korea?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.
