Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Port Moresby

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,469 a month against $2,260 in Billings, MT, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Billings, MT
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Billings, MT Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Billings, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,260

/mo nomad

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,469

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Billings, MT and in Port Moresby

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Billings, MT and in Port Moresby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,260 per month in Billings, MT vs $1,469 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Billings, MT $2,260
Port Moresby $1,469

A couple spends around $3,500 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,315 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Billings, MT $3,500
Port Moresby $2,315

A family of three spends $4,739 per month in Billings, MT vs $3,161 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Billings, MT $4,739
Port Moresby $3,161

Billings, MT costs about 54% more than Port Moresby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Billings, MT and Port Moresby sit above the global median – Billings, MT by 67%, Port Moresby by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.42 $26.42

$7.76 PGK 33.97

240.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$44.08 PGK 193

69.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.32 $13.32

$5.61 PGK 24.55

137.43%

Cappuccino

$6.18 $6.18

$2.54 PGK 11.13

143.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.74 PGK 3.23

232.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.69 PGK 3.00

130.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.03 PGK 13.28

34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.68 PGK 16.10

32.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.83 PGK 8.02

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.50 PGK 6.55

136.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.36 PGK 5.97

127.94%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$3.74 PGK 16.38

-17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 $11.84

$8.93 PGK 39.08

32.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$4.94 PGK 21.64

135.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$9.55 PGK 41.82

82.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.41 PGK 19.31

-19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$3.27 PGK 14.29

-55.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$7.28 PGK 31.87

-58.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$6.46 PGK 28.27

-30.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$3.08 PGK 13.49

-61.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.99 PGK 13.10

-32.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.35 PGK 10.29

-2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.33 PGK 5.82

6.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$6.51 PGK 28.52

45.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 $10.92

$10.94 PGK 47.88

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.70 PGK 11.83

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.53 PGK 15.43

43.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.47 PGK 2.05

317.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.77 $27.77

$22.74 PGK 99.5

22.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$4.91 PGK 21.51

-50.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.25 PGK 9.87

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.1 $59.1

$14.72 PGK 64.4

301.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.00 PGK 4.38

3.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.0K $33.0K

$50.7K PGK 222.2K

-34.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.3K $24.3K

$17.3K PGK 75.9K

40.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$176 $176

$118 PGK 516

49.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.08 $49.08

$20.84 PGK 91.2

135.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 $85.9

$82.2 PGK 360

4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.69 $48.69

$61.7 PGK 270

-21.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 $15.19

$22.19 PGK 97.1

-31.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 $13.57

$8.80 PGK 38.51

54.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,074 $1,074

$563 PGK 2,465

90.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$6,239 PGK 27.3K

205.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 $61.2

$35.46 PGK 155

72.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 $67.0

$33.95 PGK 149

97.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 $97.5

$69.7 PGK 305

39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$96.3 PGK 422

25.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 $1,262

$1,532 PGK 6,706

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 $947

$564 PGK 2,470

67.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$2,874 PGK 12.6K

-26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$1,182 PGK 5,172

53.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,393 $2,393

$2,085 PGK 9,129

14.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 $2,096

$3,782 PGK 16.6K

-44.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,936 $3,936

$427 PGK 1,870

821.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

12.17

-47.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Billings, MT: October 10, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Billings, MT

$947 41.9%

Port Moresby

$564 38.4% 40.4% $382

Eating Out

Billings, MT

$372 16.5%

Port Moresby

$138 9.4% 63% $234

Groceries & Markets

Billings, MT

$354 15.7%

Port Moresby

$320 21.8% 9.7% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Billings, MT

$311 13.8%

Port Moresby

$221 15% 28.9% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Billings, MT

$156 6.9%

Port Moresby

$106 7.2% 32.1% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Billings, MT

$76 3.4%

Port Moresby

$79 5.4% 4.6% $3.5

Getting Around

Billings, MT

$45 2%

Port Moresby

$41 2.8% 8.9% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,262 in Billings, MT versus $1,532 in Port Moresby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 821% higher in Billings, MT, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Billings, MT versus $44.00 in Port Moresby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $320 – making Port Moresby the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Billings, MT

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

03:12 3:12 AM

16 h ahead of Billings, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,116

364,145 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.92 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

PGK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Billings, MT Port Moresby 11,870 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Billings, MT
Port Moresby

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Billings, MT vs Port Moresby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Billings, MT costs about 54% more than Port Moresby, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,390 per month in Billings, MT and $2,203 in Port Moresby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Moresby, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Port Moresby. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,074 per month in Billings, MT and $563 in Port Moresby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Moresby, where all-in costs run around $1,469, than in Billings, MT at $2,260. In Port Moresby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Billings, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Moresby – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Port Moresby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Billings, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.