Moving to North Korea from Pakistan

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to North Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Pakistan to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — P'yongyang averages 60°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Pakistan to North Korea, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
172 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Pakistan live in North Korea · UN DESA

Who's moving to North Korea?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to North Korea.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

PK
45
KP
68

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PK
105.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
KP
2.5t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though North Korea 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

PK
162.1%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2022

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

PK
606 kWh
KP
830 kWh

North Korea performs significantly better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PK
5.5%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
KP
$1,700

Pakistan generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PK
69.7 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
KP
22.2

North Korea performs significantly better than Pakistan 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.

Islamabad Rain: 49.1 in/yr (1247 mm)
84° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

P'yongyang Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad P'yongyang
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data:

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Pakistan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
North Korea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Pakistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from North Korea?

Usually fine from major cities in North Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Pakistan?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in suicide rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.

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At a Glance

PK KP
Population 242,923,845 25,955,138
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English, Urdu Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +92 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15