Moving to Palau from Tonga

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Tonga to Palau — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Tonga to Palau. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Tonga and Palau stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

TO
0.9
PW
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TO
8.5
PW
22.2

Tonga performs better than Palau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TO
$512
PW
$1,857
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TO
10.1
PW
17.8

Palau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Tonga leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TO
1.6t
PW
82.8t

Tonga performs better than Palau 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

TO
8.0
PW
6.9

Tonga performs better than Palau across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TO
2.3%
PW
1.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TO
$6,600
PW
$15,800

Palau performs significantly better than Tonga across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TO
77.5 yrs
PW
74.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TO
12.4
PW
11.3

Tonga generally does better on family life, though Palau leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Tonga and Palau. To live, work, or study long-term in Palau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Palau's immigration authority.

Tonga passport

Tonga passport holder visiting Palau

Visa on Arrival
Tonga passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Palau.
Palau passport

Palau passport holder visiting Tonga

Visa on Arrival
Palau passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Tonga.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Palau?

With 6.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Palau can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Tonga and Palau.

Is Palau safe for expats?

Tonga performs better than Palau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Palau is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Tonga.

How is healthcare in Palau compared to Tonga?

Palau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Tonga leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Palau, compared to 10.1 in Tonga. Palau scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Tonga: 57).

What language do they speak in Palau?

The official languages in Palau are English and Palauan. In Tonga, the official languages are English and Tongan.

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At a Glance

TO PW
Population 105,517 21,695
Currency Tongan Paʻanga (TOP) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Tongan English, Palauan
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +676 +680
Time zones 1 1