Moving to North Korea from Turkmenistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Turkmenistan to North Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Turkmenistan to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — P'yongyang averages 60°F vs 74°F in Ashgabat, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Turkmenistan 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
Turkmenistan 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 Turkmenistan across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Turkmenistan 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
Turkmenistan 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
North Korea generally does better on family life, though Turkmenistan leads in life expectancy.
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 | Ashgabat | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ashgabat | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) |
| Feb | 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) |
| Mar | 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) |
| Apr | 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) |
| May | 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) |
| Jul | 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) |
| Aug | 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) |
| Oct | 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) |
Data:
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkmenistan 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.
Turkmenistan passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa Required
North Korea passport holder visiting Turkmenistan
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?
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 Turkmenistan?
Turkmenistan 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 21.4 in Turkmenistan. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).
What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Turkmenistan?
The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.
What language do they speak in North Korea?
The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.
