Moving to Papua New Guinea from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Papua New Guinea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Papua New Guinea. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Papua New Guinea compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Papua New Guinea performs significantly 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 significantly 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 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), South African Revenue Service (2017), Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea (2016), The World Factbook (2002). 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 | Pretoria | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting South Africa
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 Papua New Guinea?
Connectivity is usually fine (Papua New Guinea: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Papua New Guinea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?
Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to South Africa?
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 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 South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Papua New Guinea
At a Glance
ZA
|
PG
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 10,762,817 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +675 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 000 |