North Korea
The most closed country on earth, visitable only on a state-run tour, if at all.
No reading. The exchange rate moved n/a; local prices rose n/a.
- Lean
- $100
- Comfort
- $350
Off the board while a Level 4 advisory stands.
The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026
North Korea: no reading is computed, because the official exchange rate is not one travelers can actually use. A mid-range day costs roughly $200 per person, excluding international flights; this is a rough estimate from limited price evidence. The US State Department advisory is Level 4 (do not travel). The country is not ranked while that advisory stands.
What your money buys there
30 monthsThe dashed line is what a currency converter shows. The solid line is the same thing after prices in both countries are taken into account. When they part, the solid one is telling the truth.
No chart is drawn for this country: the published exchange rate is not one a traveler can actually get, so a line built on it would mislead.
How the score is built
- Dislocation ×0.36
- 50
- Price floor ×0.30
- 6
- Safety ×0.20
- 0
- Ease ×0.14
- 0
Real price drop vs last year and vs the five-year norm
How low the daily cost is in absolute terms
From the current travel advisory
How well set up the country is for visitors
The full reading
| Real change, 3 months | n/a | Is the move still going, or already reversing? |
|---|---|---|
| Real change, 12 months | n/a | The headline: what your money buys versus a year ago. |
| Exchange rate alone, 12 months | n/a | What a currency converter would tell you. |
| Local inflation, 12 months | n/a | How much of that the destination's own prices took back. |
| Versus five-year average | n/a | Cheap or dear against its own recent history. |
| Advisory | Level 4 | Do not travel |
| Ease of travel | 1.0 / 5 | Expedition-grade |
- Pyongyang's monuments
- The DMZ from the north
- A tour unlike any other
US passports are not valid for travel here, and other governments advise against it. Every tourist is escorted, and detention for minor acts has happened.
There is no usable exchange rate: tourists pay tour operators in euros, yuan or dollars.
When to go
November is off season- Janoff season
- Feboff season
- Maroff season
- Aprpeak season
- Maypeak season
- Junshoulder season
- Juloff season
- Augoff season
- Seppeak season
- Octpeak season
- Novoff season
- Decoff season
Safety and ease
- US State Department
- Level 4: Do not travel · updated April 28, 2025
- Read the full advisory ↗
- Advisories are often regional. A country-wide level can hide both safe areas and no-go zones, and other governments may judge differently.
- Tourism infrastructure
- Expedition-grade · 1.0 / 5
North Korea, in five questions
Answers are generated from the index reading of November 12, 2026, in US dollars. To cite: “Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026.”
- How much does it cost per day to travel in North Korea?
- As of November 12, 2026, a day in North Korea costs about $100 on a lean budget, $200 mid-range and $350 in comfort, per person, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates, updated daily for local inflation and the exchange rate. Price evidence for this country is thin, so treat these figures as rough.
- Is North Korea cheaper to visit than a year ago?
- There is not yet a 12-month reading for North Korea. There is no usable exchange rate: tourists pay tour operators in euros, yuan or dollars.
- Is North Korea safe to travel to right now?
- The US State Department rates North Korea at Level 4: Do not travel. US passports are not valid for travel here, and other governments advise against it. Every tourist is escorted, and detention for minor acts has happened. Advisories are often regional and other governments may differ, so read the full advisory before booking.
- When is the cheapest time to visit North Korea?
- The shoulder months, when the weather is workable and prices ease, are: June. The best conditions, and the highest prices, come in: April, May, September, October. Right now (November) is off season.
- How easy is North Korea to travel around?
- North Korea scores 1.0 out of 5 for ease of travel (expedition-grade), a measure of transport, lodging, payments, wayfinding and access to healthcare. The most closed country on earth, visitable only on a state-run tour, if at all.
Elsewhere in East Asia
Reading of November 12, 2026. In US dollars, North Korea reads n/a over twelve months in real terms with a mid-range day near $200. Costs are modeled, not quoted: see the method.