Moving to North Korea from Turkey

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkey to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to Turkey.

How's the healthcare?

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

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

TR
76
KP
68

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TR
39.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
KP
2.5t

Turkey generally does better on environment, though North Korea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

TR
3,581 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Turkey generally does better on infrastructure, though North Korea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
KP
$1,700

Turkey 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

TR
76.2 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
KP
22.2

Turkey 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.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Ankara P'yongyang
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting Turkey

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

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 Turkey and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Turkey?

Turkey 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 21.7 in Turkey. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR KP
Population 83,047,706 25,955,138
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages Turkish Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112