Moving to Papua New Guinea from Timor-Leste
What to Expect
Considering a move from Timor-Leste to Papua New Guinea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Timor-Leste to Papua New Guinea, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Papua New Guinea compared to Timor-Leste.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Timor-Leste performs better than Papua New Guinea 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
Timor-Leste generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Timor-Leste generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Papua New Guinea generally does better on infrastructure, though Timor-Leste leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Timor-Leste generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in poverty rate.
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
Timor-Leste generally does better on family life, though Papua New Guinea leads in infant mortality.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Timor-Leste 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.
Timor-Leste passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Timor-Leste
Visa on ArrivalData: 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?
Timor-Leste 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 4.1 in Timor-Leste.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste 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 7.7 in Timor-Leste. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Timor-Leste: 52).
What language do they speak in Papua New Guinea?
The official languages in Papua New Guinea are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. In Timor-Leste, the official languages are Portuguese and Tetum.
