😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $694 in Papua New Guinea.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $1,002 in Papua New Guinea.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,528 in Italy versus $1,310 in Papua New Guinea.
😐Living in Italy is roughly 148% more expensive than Papua New Guinea on average.
📊Italy (28% above) and Papua New Guinea (48% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.24€14.75
$7.79PGK 33.79
121.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.3€68.7
$47.62PGK 207
68.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.44€9.79
$6.05PGK 26.28
89.09%
Cappuccino
$1.92€1.64
$2.37PGK 10.31
-18.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98€2.55
$0.86PGK 3.74
246.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32€1.13
$0.81PGK 3.50
62.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.83€4.99
$2.81PGK 12.20
107.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16€4.42
$4.62PGK 20.05
11.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.44
$1.91PGK 8.27
-11.52%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.06
$1.59PGK 6.91
51.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.00€2.57
$1.53PGK 6.66
96.08%
Eggs
$4.08€3.49
$3.86PGK 16.76
5.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21€13.88
$6.29PGK 27.28
157.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.65€10.83
$6.57PGK 28.52
92.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.13€17.23
$8.83PGK 38.32
127.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60€2.23
$4.10PGK 17.78
-36.59%
Banana(1kg)
$2.21€1.89
$2.75PGK 11.92
-19.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.61€2.23
$4.64PGK 20.14
-43.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.28€2.81
$3.88PGK 16.84
-15.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.95€1.67
$3.45PGK 14.96
-43.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.83€1.57
$2.49PGK 10.82
-26.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.33
$3.02PGK 13.09
-48.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.43
$1.07PGK 4.62
-53.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.88€5.89
$6.59PGK 28.61
4.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.86€5.87
$11.48PGK 49.81
-40.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.54
$2.54PGK 11.03
-29.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53€2.16
$3.50PGK 15.18
-27.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94€1.66
$0.46PGK 1.99
321.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.82€35.80
$28.12PGK 122
48.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.71€4.88
$5.37PGK 23.32
6.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53€1.31
$2.53PGK 10.99
-39.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.12€30.06
$16.76PGK 72.7
109.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.73
$1.12PGK 4.88
81.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K€27.3K
$23.8KPGK 103.1K
34.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K€28.5K
$31.3KPGK 135.9K
6.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$224€192
$105PGK 454
113.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.50€11.56
$48.53PGK 211
-72.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.92€26.47
$213PGK 923
-85.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.3€48.19
$62.4PGK 271
-9.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.38€21.73
$12.37PGK 53.7
105.17%
Cinema Ticket
$10.41€8.91
$9.33PGK 40.49
11.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$575€492
$432PGK 1,876
32.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,043
$4,092PGK 17.8K
158.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.4€76.5
$34.91PGK 151
156.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.72€34.00
$36.19PGK 157
9.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.5€85.2
$67.8PGK 294
46.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130€111
$66.9PGK 290
94.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$854€731
$3,145PGK 13.7K
-72.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$651€558
$474PGK 2,057
37.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,478€1,265
$3,179PGK 13.8K
-53.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,109€949
$709PGK 3,075
56.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,926€3,361
$2,652PGK 11.5K
48.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,410€2,063
$3,855PGK 16.7K
-37.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,932€1,654
$403PGK 1,749
379.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.41
12.75
-65.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: April 27, 2026
Last update for Papua New Guinea: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $1,963 in Papua New Guinea. Capital cities: $1,349 in Rome vs $2,200 in Port Moresby.
💰National salary averages: $1,935 in Italy, $297 in Papua New Guinea. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 165% higher in Papua New Guinea.
⭐Dining out costs 147% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 450% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 552% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.
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
Italy vs Papua New Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Papua New Guinea?
At $1,842 per month in Italy and $864 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 113% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Papua New Guinea is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy beats 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.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Papua New Guinea?
It depends on what you're after. Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.