Moving to Papua New Guinea from Cook Islands
What to Expect
Considering a move from Cook Islands to Papua New Guinea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Cook Islands to Papua New Guinea.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Papua New Guinea compared to Cook Islands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cook Islands generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Cook Islands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in adult obesity rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Cook Islands performs better than Papua New Guinea across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Cook Islands generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in unemployment rate.
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
Cook Islands performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cook Islands 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.
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Cook Islands
Visa FreeData: 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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Papua New Guinea: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Papua New Guinea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?
Cook Islands generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.5 in Cook Islands.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Cook Islands?
Cook Islands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in adult obesity rate. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 13.4 in Cook Islands. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cook Islands: 46).
What language do they speak in Papua New Guinea?
The official languages in Papua New Guinea are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. In Cook Islands, the official languages are Cook Islands Māori and English.
