Moving to North Korea from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to North Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — P'yongyang averages 60°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to Saudi Arabia.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
North Korea performs significantly 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though North Korea leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.
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 | Riyadh | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) |
National Center for MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa Required
North Korea passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
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 North Korea?
From major North Korea cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Saudi Arabia and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in North Korea?
The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
