Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gisborne and Port Moresby

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,434 a month against $1,943 in Gisborne, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

97

Cost of Living Index in Gisborne
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Gisborne Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Gisborne

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,943

/mo nomad

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,434

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gisborne 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 Gisborne and in Port Moresby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,943 in Gisborne versus $1,434 in Port Moresby.

Gisborne $1,943
Port Moresby $1,434

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,973 in Gisborne versus $2,255 in Port Moresby.

Gisborne $2,973
Port Moresby $2,255

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,003 in Gisborne versus $3,075 in Port Moresby.

Gisborne $4,003
Port Moresby $3,075

Living in Gisborne is roughly 35% more expensive than in Port Moresby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gisborne 43% above, Port Moresby 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.26 NZ$49.97

$7.59 PGK 33.22

272.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 NZ$94.9

$44.28 PGK 194

21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 NZ$15.96

$5.43 PGK 23.77

66.30%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$6.09

$2.52 PGK 11.05

36.51%

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

$2.07 NZ$3.66

$0.76 PGK 3.31

172.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 NZ$3.43

$0.68 PGK 2.98

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 NZ$11.01

$2.95 PGK 12.90

110.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 NZ$10.18

$3.43 PGK 15.00

67.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$3.12

$1.80 PGK 7.86

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NZ$3.58

$1.51 PGK 6.62

34.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$3.10

$1.33 PGK 5.83

31.58%

Eggs

$5.93 NZ$10.49

$3.65 PGK 15.97

62.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 NZ$14.40

$8.61 PGK 37.68

-5.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 NZ$17.13

$4.93 PGK 21.58

96.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 NZ$25.09

$9.41 PGK 41.17

50.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 NZ$4.68

$4.20 PGK 18.41

-36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.81

$3.14 PGK 13.74

-31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.25

$7.35 PGK 32.18

-59.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 NZ$9.69

$6.32 PGK 27.65

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.53

$2.91 PGK 12.72

-31.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.60

$2.78 PGK 12.17

-47.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.91

$2.30 PGK 10.06

-3.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.97

$1.32 PGK 5.76

-15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.86 NZ$43.96

$6.27 PGK 27.44

296.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 NZ$16.85

$10.99 PGK 48.11

-13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.24

$2.66 PGK 11.64

32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NZ$5.21

$3.36 PGK 14.71

-12.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 NZ$2.77

$0.46 PGK 2.01

241.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 NZ$134

$21.77 PGK 95.3

249.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 NZ$4.32

$5.00 PGK 21.88

-51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NZ$2.96

$2.23 PGK 9.78

-25.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.09 NZ$49.68

$14.42 PGK 63.1

94.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 NZ$3.88

$1.03 PGK 4.50

112.62%

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

$30.9K NZ$54.6K

$48.7K PGK 213.2K

-36.61%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.6K

$17.2K PGK 75.2K

46.83%

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

$103 NZ$182

$114 PGK 500

-10.12%

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

$24.95 NZ$44.12

$20.52 PGK 89.9

21.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.54 NZ$85.8

$82.6 PGK 362

-41.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.81 NZ$61.6

$61.8 PGK 271

-43.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 PGK 95.9

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 NZ$20.12

$8.64 PGK 37.80

31.71%

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

$664 NZ$1,174

$554 PGK 2,427

19.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K NZ$34.5K

$6,105 PGK 26.7K

219.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 NZ$105

$35.29 PGK 155

68.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.00 NZ$61.9

$35.28 PGK 154

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 NZ$155

$69.4 PGK 304

26.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 NZ$169

$96.6 PGK 423

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 NZ$1,854

$1,507 PGK 6,599

-30.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 NZ$1,440

$543 PGK 2,376

50.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 NZ$3,310

$2,811 PGK 12.3K

-33.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 NZ$2,599

$1,121 PGK 4,909

31.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,477 NZ$9,685

$2,012 PGK 8,808

172.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,709 NZ$6,560

$3,719 PGK 16.3K

-0.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 PGK 1,831

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.17

-54.23%

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

Last update for Gisborne: October 18, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gisborne

$814 41.9%

Port Moresby

$543 37.9% 33.4% $272

Eating Out

Gisborne

$353 18.2%

Port Moresby

$135 9.4% 61.9% $219

Groceries & Markets

Gisborne

$323 16.6%

Port Moresby

$314 21.9% 2.9% $9.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gisborne

$176 9.1%

Port Moresby

$217 15.2% 23.4% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Gisborne

$125 6.4%

Port Moresby

$106 7.4% 14.8% $18

Getting Around

Gisborne

$93 4.8%

Port Moresby

$40 2.8% 57.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Gisborne

$58 3%

Port Moresby

$79 5.5% 37.3% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,048 in Gisborne and $1,507 in Port Moresby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Gisborne vs $44.00 in Port Moresby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $314 per month, with Port Moresby cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Gisborne

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🕒 Local time

05:18 5:18 AM

02:18 2:18 AM

3 h behind Gisborne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,300

364,145 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.92 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Gisborne Port Moresby 4,470 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Gisborne
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

Gisborne vs Port Moresby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,914 in Gisborne and $2,151 in Port Moresby to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,048 in Gisborne versus $1,507 in Port Moresby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,943 per month in Gisborne versus $1,434 in Port Moresby – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Port Moresby runs roughly 249% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,434 in Port Moresby versus $1,943 in Gisborne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gisborne and Port Moresby are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.