Travel safety comparison · Oceania

Australia vs Papua New Guinea: safety comparison

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Australia vs Papua New Guinea: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Australia carries a materially lower safety risk than Papua New Guinea on the composite Warnely score: 10/100 against 62/100, a gap of 52 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Australia scores 1/5 against Papua New Guinea's 4/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 1 advisory on Australia and a Level 3 on Papua New Guinea. Drug law diverges sharply: Papua New Guinea carries a tier-severe regime against Australia's more permissive framework.
🇦🇺Australia 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 10 / 100 62 / 100
Risk tier Very Safe High Risk
UK FCDO advisory No active advisory avoid all but essential travel to parts of country
US State Department advisory Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
Global Peace Index rank #18 #116
Drug law Strict Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Generally Safe Generally Safe
LGBTQ+ legal status marriage illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency AUD PGK
Full guide

Is Australia safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Papua New Guinea safe to visit in 2026?

Australia vs Papua New Guinea: common questions

Is Australia or Papua New Guinea safer to visit?

Australia has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 10/100 vs 62/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Australia or Papua New Guinea safer for solo female travellers?

Australia is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Papua New Guinea is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Australia and Papua New Guinea?

Australia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Papua New Guinea: avoid all but essential travel to parts of country (FCDO), Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) (US State).

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Planning the trip? Check Australia visa requirements and Papua New Guinea visa requirements.

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