Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lae and Port Moresby

For one person, living is cheaper in Lae: $817 a month against $1,427 in Port Moresby, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Lae

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$817

/mo nomad

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,427

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $817 per month in Lae vs $1,427 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Lae $817
Port Moresby $1,427

A couple spends around $1,470 per month in Lae vs $2,248 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Lae $1,470
Port Moresby $2,248

A family of three spends $2,123 per month in Lae vs $3,068 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Lae $2,123
Port Moresby $3,068

Lae is about 43% cheaper than Port Moresby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Lae sits 40% below the global median, while Port Moresby is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 PGK 103

$7.55 PGK 32.83

212.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 PGK 219

$43.49 PGK 189

16.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 PGK 23.42

Cappuccino

$2.66 PGK 11.58

$2.45 PGK 10.64

8.57%

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

$0.74 PGK 3.23

$0.72 PGK 3.13

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PGK 2.47

$0.64 PGK 2.77

-10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 PGK 14.01

$2.88 PGK 12.52

11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 PGK 22.14

$3.48 PGK 15.13

46.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 PGK 8.62

$1.82 PGK 7.91

8.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PGK 6.28

$1.48 PGK 6.41

-2.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PGK 5.39

$1.35 PGK 5.86

-8.15%

Eggs

$3.96 PGK 17.19

$3.70 PGK 16.07

7.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 PGK 40.88

$8.66 PGK 37.64

8.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 PGK 39.36

$4.75 PGK 20.66

90.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 PGK 46.01

$9.56 PGK 41.55

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 PGK 18.68

$4.22 PGK 18.35

1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 PGK 11.69

$3.21 PGK 13.96

-16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 PGK 25.51

$7.07 PGK 30.73

-16.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PGK 6.53

$6.41 PGK 27.84

-76.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 PGK 14.62

$3.04 PGK 13.19

10.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 PGK 10.15

$2.89 PGK 12.58

-19.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 PGK 2.80

$2.31 PGK 10.05

-72.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PGK 3.70

$1.33 PGK 5.76

-36.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 PGK 29.33

$6.41 PGK 27.84

5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.26 PGK 53.3

$10.53 PGK 45.74

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 PGK 11.27

$2.61 PGK 11.34

-0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PGK 18.87

$3.45 PGK 14.97

25.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PGK 1.37

$0.46 PGK 1.99

-32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.84 PGK 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 PGK 21.86

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 PGK 9.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.04 PGK 61.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 PGK 4.46

$0.97 PGK 4.23

6.19%

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

$49.7K PGK 215.8K

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

$17.0K PGK 73.8K

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

$117 PGK 510

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

$20.94 PGK 91.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 PGK 356

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 PGK 259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.28 PGK 96.8

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 PGK 36.96

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

$548 PGK 2,383

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,113 PGK 26.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.68 PGK 151

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 PGK 155

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 PGK 301

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 PGK 410

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 PGK 1,893

$1,451 PGK 6,304

-69.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 PGK 1,132

$537 PGK 2,334

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 PGK 5,330

$2,809 PGK 12.2K

-56.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 PGK 2,691

$1,121 PGK 4,872

-44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 PGK 8,732

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,717 PGK 16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$156 PGK 676

$429 PGK 1,864

-63.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

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

Last update for Lae: October 25, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$537 37.6%

Groceries & Markets

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$313 22%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$220 15.4%

Eating Out

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$133 9.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$105 7.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$77 5.4%

Getting Around

Lae

–

Port Moresby

$42 2.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Lae versus $1,451 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 in Port Moresby are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Lae versus $43 in Port Moresby. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Lae vs $313 in Port Moresby – so Lae wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Lae

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

Same time as Lae

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

250,948

364,145 Capital

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.206 EUR

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.206 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lae Port Moresby 310 km

From you

Lae
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

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

Port Moresby costs about 75% more than Lae, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,225 per month in Lae and $2,140 in Port Moresby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lae, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $436 there versus $1,451 in Port Moresby.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $817 in Lae and $1,427 in Port Moresby. That makes Lae about 43% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Port Moresby, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $817 in Lae and $1,427 in Port Moresby. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Port Moresby has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $817 in Lae to $1,427 in Port Moresby. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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