Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Port Moresby

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,532 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,532

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,532 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Port Moresby $1,532

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,418 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Port Moresby $2,418

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $3,305 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Port Moresby $3,305

Nosara costs about 20% more than Port Moresby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Port Moresby sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Port Moresby by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$7.76 PGK 33.98

57.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$43.89 PGK 192

37.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$5.38 PGK 23.58

40.15%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$2.44 PGK 10.69

76.64%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.77 PGK 3.38

123.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.67 PGK 2.95

101.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$2.91 PGK 12.74

11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$3.56 PGK 15.59

25.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.82 PGK 7.97

-13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.54 PGK 6.74

105.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.39 PGK 6.09

74.10%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.62 PGK 15.86

-1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$8.64 PGK 37.85

-14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$5.60 PGK 24.55

86.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$9.92 PGK 43.46

37.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.21 PGK 18.45

-44.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$3.12 PGK 13.67

-48.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$7.01 PGK 30.72

-32.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$6.56 PGK 28.75

-74.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.40 PGK 14.92

9.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.92 PGK 12.79

22.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.33 PGK 10.20

-52.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.29 PGK 5.64

97.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$6.26 PGK 27.45

-20.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$10.73 PGK 47.04

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.54 PGK 11.11

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.51 PGK 15.38

0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.42 PGK 1.86

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$21.95 PGK 96.2

228.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$5.43 PGK 23.79

-58.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$2.25 PGK 9.87

-31.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$15.47 PGK 67.8

-42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.94 PGK 4.13

67.02%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$49.2K PGK 215.6K

-55.68%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$17.3K PGK 75.6K

100.75%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$117 PGK 513

-20.21%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$22.67 PGK 99.4

54.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$91.2 PGK 399

-43.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$60.2 PGK 264

18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$22.04 PGK 96.6

60.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$8.74 PGK 38.31

-10.30%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$836 PGK 3,665

-41.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$6,242 PGK 27.4K

90.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$32.86 PGK 144

62.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$31.67 PGK 139

76.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$136 PGK 595

-41.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$160 PGK 702

-50.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,577 PGK 6,911

-50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$551 PGK 2,414

41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$3,049 PGK 13.4K

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,129 PGK 4,945

24.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,035 PGK 8,917

242.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$3,755 PGK 16.5K

-68.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$429 PGK 1,881

104.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

12.17

-29.17%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Port Moresby

$551 36.3% 29.4% $229

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Port Moresby

$320 21.1% 8.5% $30

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Port Moresby

$135 8.9% 35.6% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Port Moresby

$231 15.2% 28.3% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Port Moresby

$162 10.7% 34.7% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Port Moresby

$78 5.1% 10.7% $9.4

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Port Moresby

$40 2.7% 53.6% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,577 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 run about 104% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $44.00 in Port Moresby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $320 – making Port Moresby the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🕒 Local time

23:52 11:52 PM

15:52 3:52 PM

16 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

364,145 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.91 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Port Moresby 14,230 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,532 in Port Moresby – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $2,298 in Port Moresby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Moresby, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 228% less in Port Moresby. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $836 in Port Moresby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Moresby, where all-in costs run around $1,532, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Port Moresby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,532 in Port Moresby to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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