Moving to Papua New Guinea from Saudi Arabia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Saudi Arabia 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

SA
0.8
PG
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SA
18.5
PG
14.9

Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SA
$3,475
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SA
30.8
PG
0.6

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SA
91.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SA
18.5t
PG
0.5t

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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

SA
37.0
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SA
974.2%
PG
0.1%

Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Papua New Guinea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SA
4.9%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SA
$49,600
PG
$4,200

Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SA
76.7 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SA
12.3
PG
33.6

Saudi Arabia performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.

Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riyadh Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Riyadh Port Moresby
Jan 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.

Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

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

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

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 Saudi Arabia and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Saudi Arabia?

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 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 Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SA PG
Population 35,354,380 9,593,498
Currency Saudi Riyal (SAR) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages Arabic English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +966 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 000