Living in Ngerulmud, Palau

Ngerulmud is a smaller coastal city in Melekeok, Palau (under 250,000 people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 27°C over the year with about 3,883 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €3,091 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Palau is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost
€3,091
a month for a couple
Climate
27°C
3,883 mm rain a year
Size
Smaller
under 250,000 people
Safety
67/100
country-level
Residency
Possible, with conditions
for most foreigners

Limited data for Palau. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Palau are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Palau, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Ngerulmud

  • Warmer than 85% of the cities we track
  • Wet: about 3,883 mm of rain a year
  • On or near the sea

Climate

Ngerulmud averages 27°C across the year with about 3,883 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 85% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Long-term residence is realistic mainly via the 10-year Elite Resident Visa (buy/lease a qualifying dwelling) or the business Investor Visa tied to a Foreign Investment Approval Certificate; a 2-year renewable Resident Visa needs proof of income but no fixed figure, and there is no naturalization or permanent residence path without Palauan ancestry.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Palau:

  • Investment: about $250k (Palau Elite Resident Visa, purchase or lease a dwelling worth at least USD 250,000 paid in cash upfront (plus a USD 20,000 non-refundable fee), grants a renewable 10-year residence; as of June 2026)

For short visits, 33 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 163 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 2 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Healthcare

Palau scores 61 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 29% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Palau: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €3,091 a month to live centrally in Ngerulmud, 13% above the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 31% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Palau scores 67 out of 100 on safety, safer than 60% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 8.0 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Palau: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about Ngerulmud

Is Ngerulmud a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Ngerulmud scores well on political stability. It is weaker on healthcare. Our figures for Palau are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very wet climate (27°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Ngerulmud and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Ngerulmud?

We estimate about €3,091 a month for a couple living centrally, 13% above the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Palau, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Palau long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Long-term residence is realistic mainly via the 10-year Elite Resident Visa (buy/lease a qualifying dwelling) or the business Investor Visa tied to a Foreign Investment Approval Certificate; a 2-year renewable Resident Visa needs proof of income but no fixed figure, and there is no naturalization or permanent residence path without Palauan ancestry. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: investment, about $250k (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Ngerulmud?

Ngerulmud averages 27°C across the year with about 3,883 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 85% of the cities we track.

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