Moving to Papua New Guinea from Australia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Australia to Papua New Guinea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Australia to Papua New Guinea. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Australia to Papua New Guinea, based on official data.
Who's moving to Papua New Guinea?
Top countries of origin for Papua New Guinea's foreign-born residents.
- 13,592
-
2.9,219
Australia
- 1,783
- 1,621
- 1,463
- 733
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Australia to Papua New Guinea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Papua New Guinea 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, 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 | Canberra | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Papua New Guinea. To live, work, or study long-term in Papua New Guinea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Papua New Guinea's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Australia
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 Papua New Guinea?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Papua New Guinea has 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Papua New Guinea?
The official languages in Papua New Guinea are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. In Australia, the official language is English.
