Moving to Papua New Guinea from Mali

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Mali 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

How Mali 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

ML
20.2
PG
14.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ML
$104
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ML
1.9
PG
0.6

Mali 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

ML
65.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ML
0.3t
PG
0.5t

Mali 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

ML
0.8
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ML
8.0%
PG
0.1%

Mali generally does better on infrastructure, though Papua New Guinea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ML
3.0%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ML
$2,500
PG
$4,200

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Mali across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ML
62.4 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ML
60.6
PG
33.6

Papua New Guinea generally does better on family life, though Mali leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bamako Rain: 39.0 in/yr (991 mm)
95° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bamako Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 97°/68°F (36°/20°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/76°F (38°/25°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/71°F (32°/22°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 94°/66°F (34°/19°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Bamako Port Moresby
Jan 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO), Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mali 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.

Mali passport

Mali passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

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

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Mali

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

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 Mali and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Mali?

Mali 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 1.9 in Mali. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mali: 41).

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

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 95°F in Bamako. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bamako gets 39.0 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 Mali, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

ML PG
Population 20,741,769 9,593,498
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages French English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +223 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 000