Moving to Papua New Guinea from Madagascar

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Madagascar to Papua New Guinea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Madagascar 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 76°F in Antananarivo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Madagascar and Papua New Guinea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MG
22.5
PG
14.9

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MG
$63
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.8
PG
0.6

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MG
58.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
PG
0.5t

Madagascar generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MG
0.1
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
PG
0.1%

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Madagascar across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MG
3.1%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$1,700
PG
$4,200

Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though Madagascar leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MG
68.2 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
39.0
PG
33.6

Madagascar generally does better on family life, though Papua New Guinea leads in life expectancy.

Data: General Direction of Taxes, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Antananarivo Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
76° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Port Moresby Rain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Port Moresby
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Madagascar 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.

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
Madagascar passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Papua New Guinea passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Madagascar.

Data: 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?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Papua New Guinea can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Madagascar and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Madagascar?

Madagascar 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 1.8 in Madagascar. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Madagascar?

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 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 Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG PG
Population 28,172,462 9,593,498
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages French, Malagasy English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +261 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 000