Searching for accommodation

Hi I am planning to visit PNG this June to check out business opportunies. I will be looking for place to live in Port Moresby area  any advice how to go about. are real estate office helpful. Currently I live in USA. any suggestion will be appreciated. Thanks

Welcome on the forum papua11 ;)

You can also post a customized advert (as per your budget, room type) on Papua New Guinea Classifieds Page, Category>Accommodation. This might help you as well.

Regards

I am maddly searching accomodaion in PM as well.  I contact properties directly and found them very friendly and helpful.  All the websites about accomodations are hopeless.
How many people are going?  Just one person?

Hi Papua 11

I lived in PNG for 5 yrs before moving to the us - do contact me
through this network - i may be able to help you out. cheers
sv

Hi SV,
thanks for your response. I need 1 or 2 bedrooms just for one person for the time being. you said you were there for 5 years how did you like the place. Currently I live in New Jersey I often go to MD passing Baltimore.

Hi Maijh96
Yes I need place for one person may be 1 or 2 bedrooms will do in the Port Moresby area. Is sharing apartment a good or bad idea? option?

Hi Yud,
thanks! I will follow your advice.

Dear friends,  Sad news from me - we are not going.
My husband's pay arrangement has changed to worse, it would not be enough for 3 people ( a couple and a 11 year old)to live there.
But that would not stop me to share the information.
So far, I got 2 - 3 bedrooms range from $1500 to $2500 in 24 hours security with power and water back up.  Be aware, when they give you the price, you have to add on GST (10%), electricity ( I heard is expensive), water.....
Another thing is communication, I called PM yesterday using Optus, the line was so bad I only can understand half what the other end said.  For people heavily rely on Skype, first you have to be able to afford the access ( I heard $1500 per month), even so some areas are good some are not, when you looking for accommodation it is worth to ask about their internet access.
Meat is very expensive there, seafood are great only if you dare risk your life to go to fish market.
I highly recommend using a local maid ( I heard $60 per week)not only she can clean your apartment, she also can go to local veg and fish market shopping for you at a very low price. 
I don't know whether your employee pay for your movement or not, if yes, take 2 years supply of tooth paste, toilet papers, shampoo and conditioners as PNG does not have their own products, everything is imported from overseas.
Will keep in touch.

Hi maijh96!

Sorry to hear about that!
Thank you very much for helping others though.

Regards
Armand

Went with a friend last weekend to look at an apartment in POM. I have to admit that I've never seen housing prices like this (expensive!) anywhere else. I live like a national, so I don't pay nearly as much as other expats. I posted photos, comments, and pricing about the apartment in case anyone is interested. Note: They are posted on my facebook account, but you don't have to be a member, or a "friend", to view them. Link: facebook.com/album.php?id=770352322&aid=346090

Hi all,

I have reading most of the topics and the discussions on them. I was planning to visit Port Moresby from last two three months but as there have been a lot of stories abt the place, that was putting me into a dilemma and wasnt able to decide whether to go or not to go. But all these information you all put up here was quite helpful. And finally I have reached POM.

A special thanks to wagarland(WENDY)and vsuresh.

The city is very expensive. And I suppose it is only for Expats and outsiders. Locals aren't paying that much. Hotels are charging very high prices. I was in South Africa some months back. You can easily get 3-4 * Hotel by max 100 USD. Even there are lot B&B's which offer the same facilities with less price tag. If anybody here is moving to South Africa, please free to contact me.

Last piece of advice and support I need from you all is that,I am here for business purposes. The business isn't established yet therefore I don't want to increase me budget. If there is anybody who is looking for a room mate or is interested in sharing basis, please contact me from here on email me at [email protected]

No matter which race or country, he/ she should be sensible and fun loving.

Thanks in advance and Keep sharing......

CHEERS!!

Hi all,
thanks for sharing the information. only those who have experienced living there could share these great advice. and these are very practical and real down to earth informations. I know how to proceed now . thanks

regards to all

I am the one who is sad that I could not go to PM above.  My husband is in negotiation of getting a offer in Pretoria.  I want to know which school is good for a 11 year old girl ( year 6 currently in Australia) and which suburbs are nice to live.  I saw someone on the net recommend Woodhill.  Any idea would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Hi maijh96,

I lived in South Africa for almost 2 years. Very nice place and friendly. Pretoria being the capital of SA, is a bit busy place. You can find a lot of nice house may it be flat/Villa/Townhouse across there.

Do visit a internet site harcourts.co.za or homenet.co.za . They will be very useful. I lived in joburg which is 50 kms from pretoria. In SA 50 Kms counts nothing. Roads are very good. In Joburg some of the nice areas are sandton, Sexonwood, Edenwale and Rose bank. Max its a 20 mins drive from there.

Gimme some time and i will speak to my friends in Pretoria. And in the meanwhile your husband can go through the negotiation. Try to locate his office so that the school should be nearer.

SA is great place to hang around. Nice people. It will welcome you for sure. But beware about some places like Alexendra which are not foreign people friendly.

Cost wise it should be the same if your husband's company will be paying for accommodation and travel i.e car. Expenses are same like oz.

Very good clubs and bars to hang around even at night. But keep the windows closed and doors locked in the night. From the airport Pretoria will be around 40 Kms. Whether is also good but unfortunately no beach as it is far from the sea.

Any other thing you want to know. Please feel free to contact me on [email protected] or [email protected]

Yep, PNG is INSANELY expensive.  Unless your company is providing accommodation, it's difficult to just come and "live" here.  It even makes traveling difficult for us pseudo-volunteers as hotels, flights, food, is so pricey.  But, it's all what you make of it. 

Good luck in the housing searches.

Wendy
www.educatingwendy.blogspot.com

@maijh96 Where did you find the apartments within $1500 to $2500 range? Thanks in advance

@smalam64


An old (2011) inactive thread.  For rentals check out the housing section at the top of this page.

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