Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Boroko: $883 a month against $3,454 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $30,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Boroko
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Boroko Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

Jump to prices

Boroko

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$883

/mo nomad

Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,454

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boroko and in Singapore

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

A single person spends $883 per month in Boroko vs $3,454 in Singapore, rent included.

Boroko $883
Singapore $3,454

A couple spends around $1,279 per month in Boroko vs $5,224 in Singapore, rent included.

Boroko $1,279
Singapore $5,224

A family of three spends $1,676 per month in Boroko vs $6,994 in Singapore, rent included.

Boroko $1,676
Singapore $6,994

Boroko is about 74% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Boroko sits 34% below the global median, while Singapore is 158% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 PGK 32.06

$11.53 SGD 14.77

-36.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.97 PGK 153

$71.2 SGD 91.2

-50.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 PGK 24.75

$8.76 SGD 11.22

-35.50%

Cappuccino

$2.49 PGK 10.91

$5.25 SGD 6.73

-52.57%

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

$0.73 PGK 3.22

$1.83 SGD 2.34

-60.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 PGK 2.99

$1.25 SGD 1.60

-45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 PGK 11.28

$8.42 SGD 10.78

-69.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PGK 15.78

$10.02 SGD 12.83

-64.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 PGK 6.60

$2.94 SGD 3.76

-48.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 PGK 5.27

$2.47 SGD 3.16

-51.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PGK 5.34

$2.71 SGD 3.47

-54.98%

Eggs

$3.69 PGK 16.19

$3.73 SGD 4.77

-1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 PGK 21.53

$21.54 SGD 27.57

-77.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 PGK 25.15

$9.52 SGD 12.19

-39.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.51 PGK 28.52

$25.98 SGD 33.26

-74.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 PGK 17.21

$4.48 SGD 5.74

-12.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 PGK 13.74

$3.11 SGD 3.99

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 PGK 11.77

$4.62 SGD 5.92

-41.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 PGK 11.70

$2.23 SGD 2.86

19.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 PGK 12.45

$2.50 SGD 3.20

13.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PGK 3.75

$2.38 SGD 3.05

-64.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 PGK 4.94

$1.78 SGD 2.28

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PGK 1.87

$1.51 SGD 1.93

-71.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 PGK 24.17

$14.18 SGD 18.15

-61.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 PGK 21.34

$23.79 SGD 30.47

-79.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PGK 4.95

$4.51 SGD 5.78

-74.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PGK 6.93

$4.57 SGD 5.86

-65.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PGK 1.88

$1.58 SGD 2.03

-72.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 PGK 131

$96.4 SGD 123

-69.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 PGK 19.88

$3.63 SGD 4.65

25.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 PGK 5.96

$0.80 SGD 1.02

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.18 PGK 49.00

$16.18 SGD 20.71

-30.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 PGK 3.47

$2.51 SGD 3.21

-68.53%

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

$20.6K PGK 90.3K

$155.9K SGD 199.6K

-86.79%

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

$17.4K PGK 76.3K

$145.8K SGD 186.6K

-88.06%

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

$62.5 PGK 274

$175 SGD 224

-64.30%

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

$22.96 PGK 101

$12.45 SGD 15.94

84.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 PGK 396

$26.64 SGD 34.10

239.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 PGK 185

$112 SGD 143

-62.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 PGK 63.6

$12.07 SGD 15.45

20.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 PGK 28.74

$11.60 SGD 14.85

-43.45%

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

$328 PGK 1,439

$1,463 SGD 1,874

-77.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,247 PGK 9,849

$28.4K SGD 36.3K

-92.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.17 PGK 141

$81.5 SGD 104

-60.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.05 PGK 57.2

$50.6 SGD 64.8

-74.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.08 PGK 198

$112 SGD 143

-59.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.83 PGK 118

$130 SGD 166

-79.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,311 PGK 14.5K

$2,916 SGD 3,734

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PGK 984

$2,128 SGD 2,724

-89.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,352 PGK 14.7K

$5,654 SGD 7,239

-40.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 PGK 982

$3,968 SGD 5,080

-94.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.6K SGD 30.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 PGK 1,561

$4,369 SGD 5,594

-91.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

350.82%

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

Last update for Boroko: October 5, 2026

Last update for Singapore: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boroko

$225 25.2%

Singapore

$2.1K 61.4% 848% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Boroko

$211 23.6%

Singapore

$457 13.2% 117% $247

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boroko

$176 19.7%

Singapore

$214 6.2% 21.7% $38

Eating Out

Boroko

$131 14.7%

Singapore

$256 7.4% 95.3% $125

Sport & Entertainment

Boroko

$55 6.2%

Singapore

$135 3.9% 143% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Boroko

$53 5.9%

Singapore

$168 4.9% 219% $115

Getting Around

Boroko

$43 4.8%

Singapore

$110 3.2% 158% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,311 in Boroko versus $2,916 in Singapore. 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 1126% higher in Singapore, 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 $35.00 in Boroko versus $71.0 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $457 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Boroko

🇸🇬 Singapore

🕒 Local time

12:04 12:04 PM

10:04 10:04 AM

2 h behind Boroko

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

Singapore Dollar SGD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.696 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SGD, USD, EUR to PGK – Papua New Guinean Kina Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.92 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.696 EUR).

USD to PGK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Boroko Singapore 4,950 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Boroko
Singapore

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

Boroko vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Singapore costs about 291% more than Boroko, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,324 per month in Boroko and $5,180 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Boroko and $1,463 in Singapore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $883 in Boroko and $3,454 in Singapore. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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