Moving to Papua New Guinea from Rwanda

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Rwanda to Papua New Guinea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

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

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Rwanda and Papua New Guinea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

RW
3.6
PG
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RW
11.6
PG
14.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RW
$177
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RW
1.2
PG
0.6

Rwanda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RW
62.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RW
0.2t
PG
0.5t

Rwanda generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RW
0.3
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RW
20.2%
PG
0.1%

Papua New Guinea generally does better on infrastructure, though Rwanda leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
14.9%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$3,000
PG
$4,200

Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though Rwanda leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RW
65.8 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RW
26.4
PG
33.6

Rwanda generally does better on family life, though Papua New Guinea leads in life expectancy.

Data: Rwanda Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Port Moresby Rain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Kigali Port Moresby
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Rwanda 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.

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa Free
Papua New Guinea passport holders can enter Rwanda without a 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 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 Rwanda and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

Rwanda 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 3.6 in Rwanda.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Rwanda?

Rwanda 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 1.2 in Rwanda. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).

What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Rwanda?

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 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 Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.

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At a Glance

RW PG
Population 13,173,730 9,593,498
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +250 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 000