Moving to Papua New Guinea from Panama
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Panama to Papua New Guinea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Panama 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Panama to Papua New Guinea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Panama generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in homicide rate.
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 Panama 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
Panama 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
Panama 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
Panama 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
Panama performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea (2016), The World Factbook (2002). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Panama City | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.
Panama passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Panama
Visa FreeData: 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?
Panama generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.7 in Panama.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Panama?
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 16.2 in Panama. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 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 Panama, the official language is Spanish.
