Cash, cards, ATMs and budgeting
Papua New Guinea uses modern banking and card systems in its major centres, but cash remains important once you move into rural areas, village markets, smaller guesthouses or remote islands. The safest financial plan is a mix: kina cash for day-to-day local spending, at least one reliable bank card, and enough flexibility to handle a failed ATM or network outage.
Currency
The Bank of Papua New Guinea states that the national currency is the Papua New Guinean kina, coded PGK. One kina is divided into 100 toea.
Common polymer banknotes include K2, K5, K10, K20, K50 and K100. Coins include kina and toea denominations. The Bank of PNG also issues commemorative notes and coins that circulate alongside standard designs.
Cash and ATMs
PNG Tourism says major cities have ATMs and card-payment options. Port Moresby, Lae, Mount Hagen and other major centres offer the widest access.
Smaller businesses, markets and rural areas primarily accept cash. Do not expect every lodge, guide, village stay or boat operator to process cards.
Power, telecommunications and cash availability can affect ATMs. Keep a reserve rather than relying on one machine on the day you travel remotely.
PNG Tourism recommends using official ATMs from recognised banks such as BSP, Kina Bank, ANZ or Westpac PNG rather than unbranded machines.
Tell your home bank about your travel if its fraud-prevention system may block PNG transactions.
Do not carry your entire travel budget in one wallet. Keep a smaller daily amount accessible and store the balance securely.
Cards and electronic payments
Larger hotels, airlines, supermarkets and established businesses are more likely to accept international cards than small local businesses. Acceptance varies by merchant, network and location.
These are the most practical international card networks to carry, but acceptance should still be confirmed for remote bookings.
BSP's merchant schedule lists a 2.5% merchant service rate for foreign-issued cards, but this is not proof that every merchant passes exactly 2.5% to the customer.
Your home bank may apply its own conversion or foreign-transaction fee on top of the local transaction.
If a terminal offers to bill in your home currency, compare the rate carefully. Paying in PGK can often make the conversion easier to understand.
Carry a second card from a different network or bank if possible, stored separately from your primary wallet.
Card terminals can stop working when communications fail. Cash remains the fallback.
ATM and bank fees
ATM costs depend on the local bank, your own card issuer and whether the transaction is treated as domestic or international. Published local-bank fee schedules show that charges vary by product and network.
Kina Bank, for example, has published a K10 fee for its own customers using a Visa debit card at an overseas ATM, while BSP has published a K15 overseas cash-withdrawal fee for some of its card products. Those figures apply to the banks' own customers and do not establish what a foreign visitor will be charged at a PNG ATM.
Travel budgeting
Guesthouses, markets and fewer domestic sectors can lower costs, but transport and guides may still make PNG more expensive than a typical backpacking destination.
Standard hotels, pre-arranged airport transfers, domestic flights and guided day trips can create a much higher daily average than accommodation alone suggests.
Dive resorts, wilderness lodges, charter flights, private vehicles and specialist guides can make the trip expensive very quickly.
Costs travellers often underestimate
Multi-region itineraries add airfare quickly. Build the route before deciding whether a daily budget is realistic.
Secure pre-arranged transport can cost more than local public transport but may be the more appropriate choice under current safety guidance.
Air Niugini's standard domestic Economy checked allowance is currently 16 kg. Camera, dive or trekking gear can create extra baggage costs.
Boat, 4WD or light-aircraft transfers may be bundled into the lodge rate or charged separately.
Some village, beach, trail or cultural visits involve local entry fees or guide arrangements. Agree the amount before the activity begins.
Medical-evacuation and adventure cover is an important cost for remote PNG itineraries.
Traditional shell money
PNG Tourism Promotion Authority says Tolai shell money in East New Britain is known as tabu and remains in use today, particularly in cultural ceremonies, funerary practices, status and kinship exchanges.
International visitors should use PGK for ordinary hotels, restaurants, transport and commercial purchases.
Tabu functions within Tolai cultural life and should not be treated as a novelty currency.
If a local ceremony or cultural event involves shell money, follow the host or guide's instructions.
Tipping and small payments
Tipping practices vary by operator and setting. It is better to treat a tip as a voluntary gesture for good service rather than an automatic percentage added to every bill.
For guides, porters, boat crews or lodge staff, ask the operator whether gratuities are customary before the trip. In community settings, a locally agreed fee, contribution or gift may be more appropriate than applying foreign restaurant-tipping conventions.
Money security
Keep daily cash separate from your reserve.
Where available, store backup cards, excess cash and documents securely.
Prefer well-located bank ATMs rather than handling large amounts of cash in public.
Save card-cancellation numbers and bank contacts offline.
Common money-page mistakes
| Weak claim | Better wording |
|---|---|
| USD 1 always equals PGK 4.44. | The Bank of PNG published a rate equivalent to about PGK 4.44 per USD on 4 September 2026; check the live rate before travel. |
| PNG is completely cash-based. | Major cities have ATMs and card payments, while cash remains important in rural and small-business settings. |
| Foreign ATM withdrawals always cost K10–K15. | ATM charges vary by bank, card and network; check the displayed fee and your home-bank charges. |
| Every merchant adds a 3–5% credit-card surcharge. | Merchant and card-processing costs vary; some businesses may pass fees on and others may not. |
| Every traveller should budget exactly K300, K600 or K1,500 per day. | Build the budget around flights, secure transfers, lodges, guides and activities. |
| Tabu is an ordinary second legal currency for tourists. | Tabu remains culturally important and in use in Tolai society, but tourists should use kina for normal commercial spending. |
| All domestic airlines have a 16 kg checked limit. | Air Niugini currently lists 16 kg for standard domestic Economy passengers; other airlines and aircraft may differ. |
Related travel guides
Before leaving a major town
Withdraw enough kina for the next remote sector, keep a backup card separately and do not rely on finding a working ATM in a village, trekking area or small island community.
Money references
Exchange rates, bank fees, ATM availability and card acceptance can change. VisaPNG is an independent travel-planning resource and is not a bank, card issuer or financial adviser.