Average Salary in Papua New Guinea 2026
Currency: PGK · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Papua New Guinea make?
Average Monthly Salary
2,252 PGK
( 27,027 PGK yearly )
~ 585 USD per month ( 7,020 USD yearly )
LOW
562 PGK
146 USD
AVERAGE
2,252 PGK
585 USD
HIGH
7,885 PGK
2,048 USD
A person working in Papua New Guinea typically earns around 2,252 PGK per month. Salaries range from 562 PGK (lowest average) to 7,885 PGK (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Papua New Guinea
Median and salary distribution monthly Papua New Guinea
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (1,983 PGK) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (2,252 PGK) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)13,514 PGK
- 2–5 Years (Junior)17,568 PGK
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)22,973 PGK
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)27,027 PGK
- 15+ Years (Senior)32,432 PGK
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School16,216 PGK
- Certificate18,919 PGK
- Associate21,622 PGK
- Bachelor's27,027 PGK
- Master's32,432 PGK
- PhD37,838 PGK
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Papua New Guinea
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Papua New Guinea earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Papua New Guinea
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
6%
Average Raise
18 months
Review Frequency
6%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Papua New Guinea are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 6% every 18 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Papua New Guinea is 6%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Papua New Guinea
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
57%
Received Bonus
43%
No Bonus
57% of surveyed staff in Papua New Guinea reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
8%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal36,486 PGK
- Aviation35,135 PGK
- Information Technology35,135 PGK
- Banking33,784 PGK
- Pharmaceuticals33,784 PGK
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 67,568 PGK | 5,633 PGK |
| Pilot | 54,054 PGK | 4,505 PGK |
| Software Developer | 48,649 PGK | 4,054 PGK |
| Data Scientist | 45,946 PGK | 3,831 PGK |
| Financial Manager | 43,243 PGK | 3,604 PGK |
| Database Administrator | 40,541 PGK | 3,380 PGK |
| Engineer | 37,838 PGK | 3,153 PGK |
| Marketing Manager | 35,135 PGK | 2,930 PGK |
| Project Manager | 33,784 PGK | 2,814 PGK |
| Accountant | 29,730 PGK | 2,479 PGK |
| Hotel Manager | 27,027 PGK | 2,252 PGK |
| Nurse | 24,324 PGK | 2,029 PGK |
| Graphic Designer | 22,973 PGK | 1,913 PGK |
| Chef | 20,270 PGK | 1,690 PGK |
| Teacher | 18,919 PGK | 1,579 PGK |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Port Moresby | 31,081 PGK |
| Lae | 28,378 PGK |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
2,141 PGK
Private Sector
2,364 PGK
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Papua New Guinea earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Papua New Guinea
12 PGK
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Papua New Guinea is 12 PGK. This means that the average person in Papua New Guinea earns approximately 12 PGK for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Papua New Guinea
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
270 PGK
/month
Food
85 PGK
/month
Transport
31 PGK
/month
Utilities
42 PGK
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Papua New Guinea and explore top-paying jobs.