Moving to Papua New Guinea from Laos
What to Expect
Considering a move from Laos to Papua New Guinea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Laos 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Papua New Guinea compared to Laos.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Laos 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
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Laos across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Laos 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
Laos performs better than Papua New Guinea across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Laos generally does better on family life, though Papua New Guinea leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Vientiane | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vientiane | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Laos 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.
Laos passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on ArrivalData: 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?
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Laos?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 3.3 in Laos. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Laos?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 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 Laos, the official language is Lao.
