Moving to South Africa from Papua New Guinea
What to Expect
Considering a move from Papua New Guinea to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Papua New Guinea to South Africa. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 88°F in Port Moresby, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Papua New Guinea to South Africa.
people born in Papua New Guinea live in South Africa · UN DESA
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
126.68
Papua New Guinea
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Papua New Guinea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Papua New Guinea performs better than South Africa 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
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 South Africa 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
Papua New Guinea performs better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
South Africa 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
Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Africa performs significantly 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), Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017), The World Factbook (2002). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs Papua New Guinea
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Port Moresby | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Port Moresby | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
Data:
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service,
South African Weather Service
Can you move from Papua New Guinea to South Africa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
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 South Africa?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 5.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Papua New Guinea performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Papua New Guinea.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Papua New Guinea?
The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.
Compare further: Papua New Guinea vs. South Africa
At a Glance
PG
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,762,817 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +675 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 000 | 10111 |