Moving to Papua New Guinea from Vietnam

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Vietnam to Papua New Guinea, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Vietnam and Papua New Guinea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2011

per 100,000 people per year

VN
1.5
PG
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VN
17.7
PG
14.9

Vietnam generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VN
$690
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

VN
8.3
PG
0.6

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VN
52.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VN
4.3t
PG
0.5t

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Vietnam 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

VN
21.7
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VN
18.1%
PG
0.1%

Vietnam 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

VN
1.6%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

VN
$13,700
PG
$4,200

Vietnam performs better than Papua New Guinea across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

VN
75.5 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VN
14.8
PG
33.6

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

Data: General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Hanoi Rain: 64.1 in/yr (1628 mm)
82° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Hanoi Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Hanoi Port Moresby
Jan 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.

Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
Vietnam passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Papua New Guinea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Vietnam.

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 Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

Vietnam generally does better on safety, though Papua New Guinea leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Vietnam?

Vietnam 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 8.3 in Vietnam. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 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 Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.

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At a Glance

VN PG
Population 103,808,319 9,593,498
Currency Vietnamese Dong (₫) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages Vietnamese English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +84 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 113 000