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 $677 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $1,292 in Guam, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $1,797 in Guam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,287 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $2,302 in Guam, rent included.

The cost of living in Papua New Guinea is roughly 48% lower than in 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 49% lower, Guam 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 PGK 34.10

$20.40 $20.40

-62.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.15 PGK 212

$76.9 $76.9

-37.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PGK 25.78

$11.89 $11.89

-50.80%

Cappuccino

$2.30 PGK 10.15

$5.64 $5.64

-59.22%

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

$0.90 PGK 3.95

$1.84 $1.84

-51.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PGK 3.29

$1.47 $1.47

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 PGK 12.99

$5.34 $5.34

-44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 PGK 20.23

$6.99 $6.99

-34.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 PGK 8.74

$3.25 $3.25

-39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 PGK 6.98

$5.86 $5.86

-73.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PGK 6.65

$4.98 $4.98

-69.68%

Eggs

$3.76 PGK 16.56

$5.83 $5.83

-35.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PGK 27.85

$26.26 $26.26

-75.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 PGK 29.38

$9.62 $9.62

-30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 PGK 40.37

$19.87 $19.87

-53.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 PGK 17.89

$8.12 $8.12

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 PGK 12.03

$3.20 $3.20

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 PGK 21.68

$7.93 $7.93

-37.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 PGK 17.74

$6.76 $6.76

-40.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 PGK 15.21

$3.72 $3.72

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 PGK 10.67

$3.39 $3.39

-28.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 PGK 12.59

$3.41 $3.41

-16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 PGK 4.71

$2.27 $2.27

-52.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 PGK 27.97

$9.29 $9.29

-31.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 PGK 48.17

$12.08 $12.08

-9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 PGK 11.56

$2.26 $2.26

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 PGK 15.66

$2.42 $2.42

46.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.06

$2.81 $2.81

-83.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.26 PGK 125

$54.5 $54.5

-48.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 PGK 24.31

$20.30 $20.30

-72.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 PGK 11.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 PGK 75.4

$32.04 $32.04

-46.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 PGK 4.93

$1.39 $1.39

-19.42%

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

$24.1K PGK 106.4K

$29.5K $29.5K

-18.07%

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

$30.8K PGK 136.0K

$30.3K $30.3K

1.65%

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

$101 PGK 446

$366 $366

-72.33%

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

$48.45 PGK 214

$83.4 $83.4

-41.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$211 PGK 929

$103 $103

104.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 PGK 278

$90.7 $90.7

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.44 PGK 54.9

$26.15 $26.15

-52.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 PGK 43.23

$13.54 $13.54

-27.62%

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

$432 PGK 1,907

$558 $558

-22.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,080 PGK 18.0K

$28.9K $28.9K

-85.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.65 PGK 157

$74.4 $74.4

-52.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.24 PGK 160

$64.8 $64.8

-44.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 PGK 302

$97.0 $97.0

-29.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 PGK 290

$141 $141

-53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 PGK 13.4K

$1,892 $1,892

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 PGK 2,092

$1,500 $1,500

-68.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,153 PGK 13.9K

$2,993 $2,993

5.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 PGK 3,143

$2,521 $2,521

-71.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,207

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,779 PGK 16.7K

$302 $302

1151.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 PGK 1,852

$4,611 $4,611

-90.89%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Guam: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,987 in Papua New Guinea vs $946 in Guam. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,149 in Port Moresby and $1,822 in Hagatna.

Average salary: $318 in Papua New Guinea vs $4,941 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.

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

Salaries are 1454% higher in Guam, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Guam.

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 89% 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 89% 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.