Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Germany Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Germany

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $473 in Papua New Guinea versus $2,060 in Germany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $747 in Papua New Guinea versus $3,092 in Germany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,021 in Papua New Guinea versus $4,124 in Germany.

Living in Papua New Guinea costs about 77% less than in Germany on average.

Papua New Guinea (66% below) and Germany (50% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.12 PGK 30.82
$17.17 €14.77
-58.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.01 PGK 195
$75.8 €65.2
-40.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 PGK 25.09
$13.00 €11.18
-55.38%
Cappuccino
$2.39 PGK 10.36
$4.25 €3.65
-43.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 PGK 3.46
$3.63 €3.13
-77.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 PGK 2.94
$3.07 €2.64
-77.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.77 PGK 11.98
$5.30 €4.56
-47.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 PGK 17.97
$4.62 €3.98
-10.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 PGK 7.99
$1.39 €1.20
33.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 PGK 6.66
$2.17 €1.87
-29.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 PGK 6.07
$3.62 €3.12
-61.33%
Eggs
$3.70 PGK 16.00
$4.04 €3.47
-8.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.41 PGK 27.74
$14.95 €12.86
-57.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.76 PGK 24.95
$12.09 €10.41
-52.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.06 PGK 39.23
$22.00 €18.93
-58.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 PGK 17.14
$3.37 €2.90
17.51%
Banana (1kg)
$3.42 PGK 14.80
$2.05 €1.76
66.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.23 PGK 26.97
$2.38 €2.05
161.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.90 PGK 21.19
$4.40 €3.78
11.36%
Potato (1kg)
$3.59 PGK 15.53
$1.53 €1.32
134.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 PGK 10.68
$1.51 €1.30
63.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.79 PGK 7.74
$1.72 €1.48
4.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 PGK 4.62
$1.11 €0.96
-3.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.23 PGK 26.96
$10.31 €8.87
-39.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 PGK 47.78
$5.78 €4.97
91.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 PGK 12.22
$1.17 €1.00
141.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 PGK 16.45
$1.61 €1.39
136.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 PGK 1.90
$3.86 €3.32
-88.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.99 PGK 112
$74.6 €64.2
-65.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 PGK 22.10
$5.48 €4.72
-6.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 PGK 9.67
$2.91 €2.50
-23.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.45 PGK 62.6
$40.53 €34.88
-64.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 PGK 4.29
$2.09 €1.80
-52.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PGK 96.4K
$34.2K €29.4K
-34.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K PGK 101.7K
$39.7K €34.2K
-40.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.1 PGK 407
$357 €308
-73.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.27 PGK 122
$26.61 €22.90
6.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$120 PGK 520
$50.3 €43.29
138.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.8 PGK 280
$42.58 €36.64
52.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.94 PGK 90.7
$28.78 €24.77
-27.24%
Cinema Ticket
$9.21 PGK 39.87
$14.83 €12.76
-37.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$534 PGK 2,313
$599 €515
-10.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,656 PGK 24.5K
$17.8K €15.3K
-68.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.36 PGK 153
$93.1 €80.2
-62.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.17 PGK 135
$43.73 €37.63
-28.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.2 PGK 299
$103 €88.2
-32.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.4 PGK 404
$132 €114
-29.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,654 PGK 7,161
$928 €799
78.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 PGK 1,972
$723 €622
-37.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,599 PGK 11.2K
$1,756 €1,511
47.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 PGK 4,580
$1,361 €1,171
-22.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,049 PGK 8,867
$6,208 €5,342
-67.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,872 PGK 16.8K
$4,162 €3,581
-6.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papua New Guinea
Germany
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$416 PGK 1,799
$3,399 €2,925
-87.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.67
3.96
245.20%

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

Last update for Papua New Guinea: August 31, 2026

Last update for Germany: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $780 in Papua New Guinea, $833 in Germany. Capital cities: $1,657 in Port Moresby vs $1,567 in Berlin.

National salary averages: $317 in Papua New Guinea, $3,225 in Germany. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 7% higher in Germany.

Dining out costs 289% more in Germany.

Public transport is 750% more expensive in Germany.

Salaries are 917% higher in Germany, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Germany.

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
Papua New Guinea vs Germany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Papua New Guinea?
At $2,154 per month in Germany and $778 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 177% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Papua New Guinea?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Papua New Guinea: 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.
How do rents compare between Germany and Papua New Guinea?
Rent in Germany is consistently higher than in 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.
How far does $1,500 go in Germany compared to Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Germany it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Papua New Guinea?
It depends on what you're after: Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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