Expat volunteers in Papua New Guinea being ripped off by landlords

Expatriate renters in Papua New Guinea are falling foul of discrimination and dual pricing.

It seems landlords and businesses in Papua New Guinea’s capital are borrowing certain behaviour patterns from elsewhere in the developing world by explicitly asking for ‘expat clients only’ in rental property ads as well as charging more than double the going rate. Landlords in the capital’s East Boroko area were asking as much as $435 a week (!) before the listing was pulled due to social media reaction. The discriminatory comment caused widespread criticism, but the over-the-top rental charge was the last straw for many netizens. T

o put the rental charge in perspective, the average rental in Port Moresby is around $1,160 monthly, but the average gross income in PNG is around $2,386 for a full year. Obviously, rental stress is commonplace amongst locals, with families being forced onto the streets after running up rental debts and the capital infamous in the South Pacific region for its high cost of living when compared with the average wage. The majority of expats in the archipelago of 600 islands are volunteers, TEFL teachers or medical specialists sent overseas by their foundations and charities. The need is obvious, but only the dedicated need apply through either international volunteer agencies or Christian organisations.

Comparisons with expats living and working in popular Asian destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore are obvious but, for would-be expats looking to help other humans rather than their own bank accounts, the challenges of volunteering here are rewarding, to say the least. Culturally, the region has its rules about women, their dress and their behaviour in general, with advice given as regards such actions as wearing a sarong when swimming and avoiding secluded places at all times. Rapes and muggings do happen, especially in towns. Expats volunteering here won’t get rich, but they can bring the best of modern society and culture with them as well as fighting poverty and protecting their communities from commercialism run riot.