Just Landed in Papua New Guinea? Your First 7 Days

Digicel dominates mobile coverage and is the practical default for a new arrival; Vodafone PNG is the main competitor, and Telikom/bmobile is a distant third. Coverage is reasonable in Port Moresby, Lae and provincial towns but drops off fast outside urban centres, and outages are common during power cuts or maintenance. Fixed home broadband is scarce and unreliable, so most expats live on mobile data or an employer-provided VSAT or Starlink connection, the latter of which has become increasingly common in remote camps.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM costs a few kina. A 1GB day pass runs around PGK 3, and a weekly bundle of roughly 5GB costs about PGK 10; a month of decent data typically lands in the PGK 30-80 range. Data is pricey and slow by regional standards, and speeds degrade sharply in the evenings and in bad weather.

Papua New Guinea is overwhelmingly cash-based and runs on the kina (PGK). Card acceptance is limited to some supermarkets, hotels and fuel stations in the main towns, and network failures are frequent, so always carry cash. There are strict foreign-exchange controls and a chronic shortage of hard currency, which can make converting kina back to USD or AUD and moving money out of the country slow and capped.

Opening an account: Bank South Pacific (BSP) is by far the largest and most branch-heavy bank and the default choice; Kina Bank and Westpac PNG are the other realistic options for expats. Opening an account requires your passport, work permit or visa, an employer letter and proof of local address, and is almost always arranged through your employer. Expect the process to take days rather than minutes, and expect long branch queues.

Cash: Cash is king almost everywhere: markets, PMVs, small shops, roadside vendors and betel-nut stalls are cash-only. Break large notes into small denominations early, because change is often scarce, and keep cash discreet and split across pockets. Carry enough for the day but never a conspicuous roll.

Tipping: Tipping is not customary and is not expected in restaurants or taxis; there is no social pressure to add a percentage. A service charge is sometimes added automatically at upscale hotels and resorts, and beyond that there is no obligation to tip.

There is no general residents' address-registration scheme for foreigners in Papua New Guinea; you do not report to a local authority to log where you live. Your legal status is governed entirely by your visa and work permit rather than by registering your address. What you should do instead is voluntarily register with your embassy or high commission for safety alerts, keep your passport, visa and work permit current, and carry certified copies rather than the originals when moving around.

Where: Not applicable for address registration. For visa, entry-permit and work-permit matters, deal with the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) in Port Moresby, usually via your employer's HR or a migration agent.

There is effectively no safe, casual public transport for newcomers. Foreigners are strongly advised to avoid PMV minibuses and to arrange private, vetted drivers through their employer, hotel or a trusted company. Roads between towns are poor, frequently impassable in the wet season and often unsafe, so there is no highway network linking the major cities. Domestic flights on Air Niugini and PNG Air are the normal, and usually the only, way to travel between provinces.

From the airport: From Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby's Town/Ela Beach centre and the Waigani and Boroko areas are only 15-30 minutes away, but you should use a pre-booked hotel shuttle or a company vehicle rather than a street taxi. Avoid unmarked cars, ignore touts offering rides or to carry your bags, and never accept a lift from a stranger. If you must use a taxi, book a known operator through your hotel rather than flagging one down.

Expats almost always live in secure, gated compounds or serviced apartments with 24-hour guards, razor wire and vehicle access control, most commonly in Port Moresby suburbs such as Touaguba Hill, Ela Beach, Waigani and Boroko. Housing is very expensive and supply is tight, so it is usually arranged and paid for by employers rather than found on the open market. Utilities are unreliable, and better compounds run backup generators and water tanks to ride out the frequent power and water cuts.

Typical rent: Secure expat housing is costly: a serviced one-bedroom in a guarded building commonly runs PGK 5,000-9,000 per month, and a two- to three-bedroom apartment or house in a good Port Moresby compound from PGK 8,000 to well over PGK 20,000 per month, with premium standalone houses higher still.

Deposit norm: Landlords and agents typically require one to two months' rent as a bond plus a month in advance; corporate leases often carry longer fixed terms and larger upfront payments. Deal only through your employer or a reputable agent, and never transfer a deposit before verifying the property and lease in person.

Public healthcare is under-resourced and unreliable, medicines are often in short supply, and serious cases are typically stabilised locally then medically evacuated to Australia (usually Cairns or Brisbane) or Singapore. Private clinics and hospitals in Port Moresby, such as Pacific International Hospital and Paradise Private Hospital, handle routine care and minor emergencies for expats to an acceptable standard.

How to access it: Use private clinics and pay upfront or via insurance for GP visits, tests and pharmacy needs; keep receipts for reimbursement. Malaria is a real risk across most of the country, so take prophylaxis, use repellent and sleep under nets, and keep a well-stocked personal medical kit including anything you rely on, as pharmacy supply is patchy. Know your nearest private hospital and your evacuation provider's hotline before you ever need them.

Insurance: Comprehensive international health insurance that explicitly includes medical evacuation, whether through International SOS or an equivalent, is essential and non-negotiable rather than a nice-to-have. Most employers require and provide it as part of the package; confirm the policy covers evacuation to Australia or Singapore and carry the membership details on you at all times.

• Learn a few words of Tok Pisin such as 'gutpela moning' (good morning) and 'tenkyu' (thank you) - the effort earns real, immediate goodwill.
• Greet people warmly and take time for small talk; relationships and courtesy matter far more than speed or efficiency in most dealings.
• Dress modestly, especially outside compounds and in villages, and defer to local leaders, big-men and elders in any community setting.
• Always ask before photographing people, ceremonies, markets or villages, and respect that land and customs (kastom) are deeply and personally held.
• Understand the wantok system of kin and language-group obligation shapes favours and decisions; be respectful of it without trying to buy your way into it.
• Accept hospitality graciously and reciprocate simply; sharing food and taking time to talk is how trust is built here.
• Be patient with 'PNG time' - meetings, deliveries and paperwork run late as a matter of course, and visible frustration reads as rudeness.

• Never photograph settlements, disputes or people without clear permission; misunderstandings around images can escalate quickly and dangerously.
• Be extremely cautious about entering 'settlements' (informal squatter areas); go only with a trusted local guide and never wander in alone.
• 'Payback' disputes and tribal tensions can flare with little warning; stay well clear of local conflicts and never take sides.
• Avoid all public display of wealth, phones, jewellery or cash, and avoid all movement after dark, which is when most incidents occur.
• Be discreet about political opinions and criticism, particularly around elections and land disputes, when tempers and tensions run high.