Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Papua New Guinea Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Papua New Guinea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,017 in Germany versus $687 in Papua New Guinea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Germany versus $987 in Papua New Guinea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,078 in Germany versus $1,287 in Papua New Guinea.

Living in Germany is roughly 194% more expensive than in Papua New Guinea on average.

Germany (51% above) and Papua New Guinea (49% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.10 €14.96
$7.79 PGK 34.27
119.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 €66.5
$47.76 PGK 210
59.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 €10.30
$5.87 PGK 25.82
100.51%
Cappuccino
$3.96 €3.46
$2.32 PGK 10.23
70.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 €2.97
$0.84 PGK 3.69
303.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 €2.66
$0.73 PGK 3.22
316.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.27 €4.61
$2.85 PGK 12.55
84.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64 €4.06
$4.66 PGK 20.51
-0.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.13
$1.94 PGK 8.54
-33.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.92
$1.54 PGK 6.78
42.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.47 €3.04
$1.51 PGK 6.62
129.80%
Eggs
$3.91 €3.42
$3.88 PGK 17.06
0.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.03 €13.15
$6.26 PGK 27.53
140.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.89 €12.15
$6.44 PGK 28.34
115.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.12 €17.61
$9.18 PGK 40.39
119.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 €2.75
$4.06 PGK 17.88
-22.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 €1.65
$2.74 PGK 12.07
-31.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 €2.05
$4.75 PGK 20.91
-50.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.74 €4.15
$3.83 PGK 16.85
23.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 €1.40
$3.31 PGK 14.58
-51.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 €1.37
$2.53 PGK 11.13
-37.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.90 €1.66
$2.99 PGK 13.15
-36.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €0.97
$1.05 PGK 4.63
5.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 €8.65
$6.35 PGK 27.96
55.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.82 €5.09
$11.06 PGK 48.65
-47.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.93
$2.60 PGK 11.44
-58.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.47
$3.45 PGK 15.20
-51.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.80 €3.32
$0.50 PGK 2.19
660.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.7 €58.3
$28.57 PGK 126
133.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.73 €5.02
$5.48 PGK 24.13
4.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 €2.03
$2.43 PGK 10.69
-4.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.07 €33.30
$16.47 PGK 72.5
131.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 €1.70
$1.08 PGK 4.76
80.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K €27.0K
$23.7K PGK 104.3K
30.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €32.9K
$31.7K PGK 139.4K
18.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$349 €305
$101 PGK 445
244.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.86 €24.37
$48.55 PGK 214
-42.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.0 €44.64
$209 PGK 919
-75.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.21 €36.06
$63.4 PGK 279
-35.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 €21.43
$12.39 PGK 54.5
97.74%
Cinema Ticket
$13.86 €12.12
$9.39 PGK 41.30
47.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$472 €413
$439 PGK 1,931
7.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K €13.1K
$4,095 PGK 18.0K
264.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.9 €81.2
$34.78 PGK 153
166.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.33 €37.91
$36.12 PGK 159
19.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €90.6
$67.2 PGK 296
54.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €115
$65.3 PGK 287
100.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 €907
$3,107 PGK 13.7K
-66.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$762 €666
$480 PGK 2,110
58.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,928 €1,687
$3,175 PGK 14.0K
-39.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,437 €1,258
$712 PGK 3,132
101.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,101 €5,338
$2,131 PGK 9,377
186.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,120 €3,604
$3,874 PGK 17.0K
6.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,351 €2,932
$432 PGK 1,899
676.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.98
12.75
-68.78%

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

Last update for Germany: July 12, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $846 in Germany, $1,962 in Papua New Guinea. Capital cities: $1,439 in Berlin vs $2,203 in Port Moresby.

National salary averages: $3,150 in Germany, $319 in Papua New Guinea. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 132% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 140% more in Germany.

Public transport is 675% more expensive in Germany.

Salaries are 887% higher in Germany, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Germany.

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
Germany vs Papua New Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Papua New Guinea?
At $2,103 per month in Germany and $851 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 147% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Papua New Guinea?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Papua New Guinea: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Papua New Guinea?
Rent in Germany is consistently higher than in Papua New Guinea across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,500 go in Germany compared to Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Germany it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Papua New Guinea?
It depends on what you're after: Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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