Moving to Palau from Papua New Guinea

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Papua New Guinea to Palau? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Papua New Guinea to Palau. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Palau compared to Papua New Guinea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

PG
9.4
PW
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PG
14.9
PW
22.2

Papua New Guinea performs better than Palau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PG
$133
PW
$1,857
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PG
0.6
PW
17.8

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PG
0.5t
PW
82.8t

Papua New Guinea performs better than Palau across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PG
0.2
PW
6.9
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

PG
32.0%
PW
37.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PG
2.6%
PW
1.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PG
$4,200
PW
$15,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PG
69.4 yrs
PW
74.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PG
33.6
PW
11.3

Palau performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea and Palau. To live, work, or study long-term in Palau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Palau's immigration authority.

Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Palau

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

Palau passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Palau?

Connectivity is usually fine (Palau: 6.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Palau offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Palau safe for expats?

Papua New Guinea performs better than Palau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Palau is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Papua New Guinea.

How is healthcare in Palau compared to Papua New Guinea?

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 17.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Palau, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. Palau scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).

What language do they speak in Palau?

The official languages in Palau are English and Palauan. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.

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At a Glance

PG PW
Population 9,593,498 21,695
Currency Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin English, Palauan
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +675 +680
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 000