Moving to California from Papua New Guinea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Papua New Guinea to California — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Papua New Guinea to California. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sacramento averages 74°F vs 88°F in Port Moresby, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Papua New Guinea to California, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Papua New Guinea to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
How Papua New Guinea and California stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Papua New Guinea performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California 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
California performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2002), OECD Regional Demography (2020). 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 | Port Moresby | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Port Moresby | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) |
| May | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) |
| Aug | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) |
| Sep | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) |
| Dec | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from California?
Working remotely from California's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Papua New Guinea and California.
How is healthcare in California compared to Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in California compared to Papua New Guinea?
The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.
What language do they speak in California?
The official language in California is English. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.
