Moving to North Korea from Sri Lanka

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Sri Lanka to North Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Sri Lanka 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 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Sri Lanka to North Korea.

Living there in 2020
154 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Sri Lanka 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

The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to Sri Lanka.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

LK
67
KP
68

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LK
37.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
KP
2.5t

Sri Lanka performs better than North Korea across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2022

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

LK
684 kWh
KP
830 kWh

North Korea performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
KP
$1,700

Sri Lanka 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

LK
77.5 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
KP
22.2

Sri Lanka 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.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Colombo P'yongyang
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

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

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?

From major North Korea cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Sri Lanka and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Sri Lanka?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in adult obesity rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK KP
Population 23,187,516 25,955,138
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119