Moving to South Africa from North Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from North Korea to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from North Korea to South Africa, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from North Korea to South Africa.
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
109.163
North Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa 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 South Africa 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 generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.
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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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
North Korea performs better than South Africa 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 | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | P'yongyang | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
North Korea passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa 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 South Africa?
From major South Africa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Korea and South Africa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to North Korea?
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to North Korea?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.
Compare further: North Korea vs. South Africa
At a Glance
KP
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,955,138 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | North Korean Won (KPW) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Korean | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +850 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |