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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $690 in Papua New Guinea versus $1,719 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Papua New Guinea versus $2,625 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,280 in Papua New Guinea versus $3,531 in Italy.

Living in Papua New Guinea costs about 60% less than in Italy on average.

Papua New Guinea (49% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.87 PGK 33.79
$17.02 €14.66
-53.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.39 PGK 204
$82.3 €71.0
-42.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.97 PGK 25.65
$11.62 €10.01
-48.62%
Cappuccino
$2.31 PGK 9.94
$1.91 €1.64
20.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 PGK 3.72
$3.02 €2.60
-71.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 PGK 3.23
$1.31 €1.13
-42.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.81 PGK 12.05
$5.81 €5.01
-51.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 PGK 19.26
$5.12 €4.41
-12.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 PGK 8.19
$1.64 €1.42
16.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.58 PGK 6.78
$2.42 €2.09
-34.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.46 PGK 6.28
$2.92 €2.52
-50.00%
Eggs
$3.89 PGK 16.70
$4.12 €3.55
-5.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.22 PGK 26.72
$16.70 €14.39
-62.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 PGK 28.06
$12.60 €10.86
-48.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.97 PGK 38.52
$20.61 €17.76
-56.48%
Apples (1kg)
$4.02 PGK 17.28
$2.48 €2.14
62.10%
Banana (1kg)
$2.82 PGK 12.12
$2.15 €1.85
31.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.81 PGK 20.66
$2.72 €2.35
76.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.94 PGK 16.94
$3.25 €2.80
21.23%
Potato (1kg)
$3.44 PGK 14.80
$1.94 €1.67
77.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 PGK 10.71
$1.81 €1.56
37.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.89 PGK 12.43
$1.48 €1.27
95.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 PGK 4.54
$0.54 €0.47
96.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.34 PGK 27.23
$6.82 €5.87
-7.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.09 PGK 47.64
$7.33 €6.32
51.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 PGK 10.89
$1.80 €1.55
40.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 PGK 15.02
$2.54 €2.19
37.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.50 PGK 2.13
$2.01 €1.73
-75.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 PGK 123
$41.70 €35.93
-31.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.43 PGK 23.31
$5.90 €5.09
-7.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 PGK 10.72
$1.52 €1.31
64.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.97 PGK 72.9
$34.23 €29.50
-50.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 PGK 4.83
$2.13 €1.83
-47.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K PGK 102.2K
$32.8K €28.3K
-27.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K PGK 135.2K
$33.5K €28.9K
-6.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 PGK 434
$226 €194
-55.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.27 PGK 212
$13.32 €11.48
269.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$212 PGK 912
$31.26 €26.94
579.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.8 PGK 270
$56.9 €49.02
10.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.50 PGK 53.7
$25.71 €22.15
-51.38%
Cinema Ticket
$9.53 PGK 40.93
$10.35 €8.92
-7.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$445 PGK 1,913
$579 €499
-23.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,038 PGK 17.3K
$10.5K €9,076
-61.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 PGK 154
$90.2 €77.7
-60.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.10 PGK 151
$40.79 €35.15
-13.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.7 PGK 295
$98.7 €85.1
-30.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.5 PGK 286
$133 €115
-50.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,052 PGK 13.1K
$853 €735
257.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$475 PGK 2,043
$667 €575
-28.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,132 PGK 13.5K
$1,517 €1,307
106.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 PGK 3,116
$1,083 €933
-33.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,082 PGK 8,943
$3,767 €3,245
-44.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,827 PGK 16.4K
$2,403 €2,071
59.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$423 PGK 1,817
$1,986 €1,711
-78.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.75
4.41
189.12%

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

Last update for Papua New Guinea: June 6, 2026

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,944 in Papua New Guinea, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $2,149 in Port Moresby vs $1,368 in Rome.

National salary averages: $319 in Papua New Guinea, $1,931 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 162% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 147% more in Italy.

Public transport is 450% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 505% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Papua New Guinea?
At $1,804 per month in Italy and $863 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 109% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Papua New Guinea is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy beats 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.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Papua New Guinea?
It depends on what you're after. Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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