Moving to North Korea from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to North Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Washington to North Korea.
Who's moving to North Korea?
Top countries of origin for North Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 29,248
- 5,477
- 2,990
- 2,841
- 1,444
-
6.1,049
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in North Korea compared to Washington.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
North Korea performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Washington performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | P'yongyang |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa Required
North Korea passport holder visiting United States
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 Washington and North Korea are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Washington?
North Korea performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
What language do they speak in North Korea?
The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Washington, the official language is English.
