Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Port Moresby Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Port Moresby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,520 in Port Moresby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,391 in Port Moresby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,262 in Port Moresby.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 9% more expensive than in Port Moresby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Port Moresby 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$7.72 PGK 33.55

54.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$45.79 PGK 199

12.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.78 PGK 25.10

97.40%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.47 PGK 10.72

61.54%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.75 PGK 3.24

121.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.69 PGK 3.01

92.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$3.06 PGK 13.30

13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.69 PGK 16.05

59.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.88 PGK 8.18

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.53 PGK 6.63

112.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.45 PGK 6.29

48.97%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$3.62 PGK 15.72

-19.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.90 PGK 38.67

44.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.17 PGK 22.45

94.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$9.10 PGK 39.54

74.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$4.12 PGK 17.92

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$3.07 PGK 13.35

-34.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$5.85 PGK 25.44

-62.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$6.15 PGK 26.74

-61.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$3.29 PGK 14.30

-37.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.60 PGK 11.29

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.09 PGK 9.09

-22.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.25 PGK 5.43

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$6.17 PGK 26.81

-11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$11.58 PGK 50.3

52.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.75 PGK 11.97

-25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.44 PGK 14.97

36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.43 PGK 1.89

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$22.32 PGK 97.0

-6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$5.70 PGK 24.75

-63.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.27 PGK 9.88

-75.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$15.46 PGK 67.2

-62.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.99 PGK 4.32

62.63%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$21.5K PGK 93.4K

6.26%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

49.85%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$121 PGK 525

-46.04%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$23.52 PGK 102

27.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$94.5 PGK 410

-60.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$61.0 PGK 265

-1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$22.17 PGK 96.3

19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.21 PGK 40.02

-23.56%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$855 PGK 3,714

-45.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$6,169 PGK 26.8K

115.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$32.67 PGK 142

132.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$32.53 PGK 141

72.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$137 PGK 595

-18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$165 PGK 716

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$1,633 PGK 7,096

-32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$556 PGK 2,414

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$2,740 PGK 11.9K

-7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$1,155 PGK 5,018

12.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,043 PGK 8,879

95.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$3,781 PGK 16.4K

-44.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$429 PGK 1,863

141.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

12.17

-7.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,633 in Port Moresby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 142% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Port Moresby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $310 per month, with Port Moresby cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City vs Port Moresby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Port Moresby differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,520 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,633 in Port Moresby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Port Moresby runs roughly 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $855 in Port Moresby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,520 in Port Moresby versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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.

Expats usually find Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.