Papua New Guinea vs Australia

Australia costs roughly 11% less than Papua New Guinea, making it one of the more financially compelling destinations for Papua New Guinea expats. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

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Australia is approximately 11% less expensive than Papua New Guinea based on cost of living including rent. This makes Australia a more expensive option for expats considering a move.

Papua New Guinea has a FIRE Score of 15/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 22.3, suggesting moderate safety levels.

Recommended profile: Papua New Guinea is best suited for digital nomads who prioritize experience over savings.

Overall Winner
Reconsider TravelThe US State Dept advises against travel to Papua New Guinea. This is reflected in the FIRE, Nomad & Retiree scores below. View official advisory →

About Papua New Guinea

Skip this one if you need safety or reliable healthcare: a 22.3 safety index and Level 3 travel advisory rule out casual retirement. With no digital nomad visa and 10 Mbps internet, remote workers should also pass. Only suits those with PNG-specific business or mining ties who accept real risk.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$504/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$813
Family (excl. rent)$2,935

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,683
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$664
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$2,474
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$1,039

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
15/100
Retiree Score
12/100
Nomad Score
12/100


Country Details →

About Australia

High earners chasing safety and healthcare quality will find the tradeoff here: a 73.4 healthcare index and top-tier political stability against a 45% income tax rate that eats deeply into any US-sourced income. A digital nomad visa is available and no PR pathway from retirement status. Budget-conscious types or anyone unwilling to pay steep taxes for stability should look elsewhere.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$407/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$1,089
Family (excl. rent)$3,921

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,504
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$1,200
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$2,525
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$1,906

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
20/100
Retiree Score
60/100
Nomad Score
66/100


Country Details →

Battle of Lifestyles

Scroll to compare

MetricPapua New GuineaAustralia
Travel Advisory
Level 3: Reconsider TravelLevel 1: Normal Precautions
Quality of Life Index
69.7
192.2 +122.5
Healthcare Index
18.4 73.4 +55.0
Safety Index
22.3
52.7 +30.4
Cost of Living Index
67.4 60.9 +6.5
Living Costs (Single, excl. rent)$812.5 +276.6$1,089.1
Living Costs (Family, excl. rent)$2,934.8 +986.6$3,921.4
1BR Apartment (Center)$1,683.36 $1,503.56 +179.8
1BR Apartment (Outside)$663.66 +536.22$1,199.88
3BR Apartment (Center)$2,473.84 +50.66$2,524.5
3BR Apartment (Outside)$1,039.14 +866.4$1,905.54
Avg Internet Speed10 Mbps 164.09 Mbps +154.1

Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

We use a "Pure Data" approach, pulling raw facts from high-authority sources including private sources for real-time crowd-sourced pricing, the World Bank for stability metrics, and official government visa portals.

The FIRE Score is a dynamic metric based on your Monthly Income vs. Total Expenses. It calculates your potential savings rate; the more you save, the higher the score.

Our indices (Quality of Life, Healthcare, Safety, Cost of Living) are relative metrics. For example, a higher Quality of Life Index indicates better purchasing power, safety, and healthcare, while a higher Cost of Living Index means the country is more expensive relative to others.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of how suitable a country is for long-term retirement. It is calculated from three main factors: healthcare system quality, safety index, and the general cost of living.

The Nomad Score measures how well a country supports remote workers. It is calculated from average internet speeds, the cost of living, and the safety index.

The "Single" toggle calculates costs based on a 1-Bedroom apartment. "Family" assumes a 3-Bedroom apartment and the expenses for a household of four.