Moving to Papua New Guinea from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Kingdom to Papua New Guinea. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to Papua New Guinea, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,621

people born in United Kingdom live in Papua New Guinea · UN DESA

Who's moving to Papua New Guinea?

Top countries of origin for Papua New Guinea's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How United Kingdom 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

GB
1.0
PG
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
PG
14.9

United Kingdom performs better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GB
31.7
PG
0.6

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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

GB
13.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
PG
0.5t

United Kingdom generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
41.4
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
PG
0.1%

United Kingdom 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

GB
4.1%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
PG
$4,200

United Kingdom 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

GB
81.9 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
3.8
PG
33.6

United Kingdom performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.

Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month London Port Moresby
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.

United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa on Arrival
United Kingdom passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Papua New Guinea passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

United Kingdom 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 1.0 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to United Kingdom?

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 60°F in London. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 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 United Kingdom, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GB PG
Population 67,791,400 9,593,498
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages English English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +44 +675
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 000