Moving to Papua New Guinea from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Papua New Guinea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Papua New Guinea, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Papua New Guinea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Costa Rica 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
share of households with internet
Costa Rica 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
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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?
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Costa Rica?
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 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 Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
