Moving to Papua New Guinea from United States
What to Expect
Considering a move from United States to Papua New Guinea? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United States to Papua New Guinea. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Port Moresby averages 88°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United States to Papua New Guinea.
Who's moving to Papua New Guinea?
Top countries of origin for Papua New Guinea's foreign-born residents.
- 13,592
- 9,219
- 1,783
- 1,621
- 1,463
-
6.733
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Papua New Guinea compared to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States 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
United States generally does better on environment, though Papua New Guinea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
United States 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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in unemployment 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
United States performs better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Port Moresby |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting United States
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?
United States 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 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to United States?
United States 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 36.1 in United States. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 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 States, the official language is English.
