Moving to Papua New Guinea from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Papua New Guinea — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Papua New Guinea. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Papua New Guinea, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Papua New Guinea?
Top countries of origin for Papua New Guinea's foreign-born residents.
- 13,592
- 9,219
-
3.1,783
New Zealand
- 1,621
- 1,463
- 733
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Papua New Guinea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Papua New Guinea 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting New Zealand
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?
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 New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 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 New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
