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

Name: Guam
Address: GU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $1,302 in Guam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $1,807 in Guam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $2,312 in Guam, rent included.

Papua New Guinea is roughly 47% cheaper than Guam on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Papua New Guinea and Guam are more affordable than the global median – Papua New Guinea 48% lower, Guam 3% lower.

Guam has a wider regional cost range ($0–$3,293) than Papua New Guinea ($0–$1,732), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Guam.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 PGK 34.99

$20.03 $20.03

-60.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.31 PGK 208

$78.2 $78.2

-39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 PGK 25.87

$12.18 $12.18

-51.72%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PGK 10.33

$5.62 $5.62

-58.19%

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

$0.85 PGK 3.74

$1.84 $1.84

-53.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PGK 3.47

$1.54 $1.54

-48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 PGK 12.89

$5.54 $5.54

-47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 PGK 20.56

$7.10 $7.10

-34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 PGK 8.82

$3.41 $3.41

-41.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 PGK 6.72

$6.03 $6.03

-74.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 PGK 6.49

$4.99 $4.99

-70.54%

Eggs

$3.86 PGK 16.96

$6.04 $6.04

-36.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PGK 27.74

$26.30 $26.30

-76.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 PGK 27.99

$9.74 $9.74

-34.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 PGK 40.56

$19.96 $19.96

-53.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 PGK 17.85

$8.11 $8.11

-49.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 PGK 12.36

$3.20 $3.20

-12.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 PGK 20.64

$7.88 $7.88

-40.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 PGK 17.36

$6.74 $6.74

-41.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 PGK 14.46

$3.78 $3.78

-12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 PGK 11.06

$3.29 $3.29

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 PGK 12.59

$3.44 $3.44

-16.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PGK 4.66

$2.30 $2.30

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 PGK 29.10

$9.35 $9.35

-29.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 PGK 49.28

$11.79 $11.79

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 PGK 11.64

$2.23 $2.23

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PGK 15.42

$2.34 $2.34

49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 PGK 2.03

$2.78 $2.78

-83.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 PGK 121

$54.9 $54.9

-49.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 PGK 23.18

$20.07 $20.07

-73.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.87 PGK 74.2

$31.91 $31.91

-47.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PGK 4.89

$1.43 $1.43

-22.38%

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

$23.6K PGK 103.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

-17.29%

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

$31.0K PGK 136.3K

$30.2K $30.2K

2.65%

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

$102 PGK 450

$374 $374

-72.63%

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

$49.38 PGK 217

$85.3 $85.3

-42.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$215 PGK 947

$105 $105

105.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.3 PGK 278

$92.5 $92.5

-31.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 PGK 54.8

$25.87 $25.87

-51.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 PGK 42.78

$13.55 $13.55

-28.27%

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

$435 PGK 1,915

$551 $551

-21.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,072 PGK 17.9K

$28.9K $28.9K

-85.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.64 PGK 152

$71.9 $71.9

-51.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 PGK 154

$64.4 $64.4

-45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 PGK 303

$96.2 $96.2

-28.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 PGK 295

$141 $141

-52.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,112 PGK 13.7K

$1,959 $1,959

58.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 PGK 2,143

$1,497 $1,497

-67.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,247 PGK 14.3K

$2,927 $2,927

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 PGK 3,118

$2,549 $2,549

-72.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 PGK 11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,956 PGK 17.4K

$304 $304

1203.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 PGK 1,755

$4,629 $4,629

-91.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.75

4.22

202.13%

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

Last update for Papua New Guinea: April 21, 2026

Last update for Guam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,993 in Papua New Guinea vs $950 in Guam. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,146 in Port Moresby and $1,836 in Hagatna.

Average salary: $303 in Papua New Guinea vs $4,889 in Guam. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 110% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 10% more in Guam.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Papua New Guinea.

Salaries are 1514% higher in Guam, giving Guam 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

Papua New Guinea vs Guam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Papua New Guinea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 90% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Guam, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Guam consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Papua New Guinea, contributing to the overall 90% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Papua New Guinea, but in Guam it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Papua New Guinea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.