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: $682 in Papua New Guinea versus $1,720 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $992 in Papua New Guinea versus $2,626 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,301 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 (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.63 PGK 33.65
$17.16 €14.96
-55.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.86 PGK 215
$81.4 €70.9
-39.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.02 PGK 26.54
$11.60 €10.11
-48.10%
Cappuccino
$2.43 PGK 10.72
$1.98 €1.73
22.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 PGK 4.02
$3.00 €2.62
-69.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 PGK 3.55
$1.36 €1.18
-41.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.94 PGK 12.95
$5.92 €5.16
-50.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67 PGK 20.58
$5.25 €4.58
-11.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 PGK 8.45
$1.70 €1.49
12.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 PGK 6.68
$2.37 €2.07
-35.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.45 PGK 6.38
$3.03 €2.65
-52.15%
Eggs
$3.89 PGK 17.18
$3.95 €3.44
-1.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.31 PGK 27.81
$16.66 €14.53
-62.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.61 PGK 29.14
$12.26 €10.68
-46.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.84 PGK 38.98
$20.06 €17.49
-55.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.01 PGK 17.67
$2.55 €2.23
57.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 PGK 12.08
$2.20 €1.92
24.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 PGK 21.17
$2.75 €2.40
74.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.99 PGK 17.61
$3.22 €2.81
23.91%
Potato (1kg)
$3.42 PGK 15.07
$1.94 €1.69
76.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 PGK 10.91
$1.82 €1.59
35.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.03 PGK 13.34
$1.48 €1.29
104.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 PGK 4.70
$0.50 €0.43
114.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.60 PGK 29.13
$7.13 €6.21
-7.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.21 PGK 49.44
$7.37 €6.43
52.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 PGK 11.29
$1.76 €1.53
45.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 PGK 15.20
$2.53 €2.20
36.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 PGK 2.04
$1.99 €1.73
-76.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.55 PGK 126
$42.32 €36.90
-32.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 PGK 23.87
$5.67 €4.94
-4.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 PGK 10.94
$1.52 €1.32
63.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.96 PGK 74.8
$34.94 €30.46
-51.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 PGK 4.72
$2.09 €1.83
-48.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K PGK 107.4K
$32.7K €28.5K
-25.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K PGK 138.4K
$32.9K €28.7K
-4.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 PGK 452
$227 €198
-54.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.82 PGK 215
$13.58 €11.84
259.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$211 PGK 929
$31.57 €27.52
566.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.8 PGK 281
$57.7 €50.3
10.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.19 PGK 53.8
$25.23 €22.00
-51.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.67 PGK 42.64
$10.59 €9.24
-8.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$443 PGK 1,954
$568 €495
-21.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,153 PGK 18.3K
$10.5K €9,187
-60.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.58 PGK 157
$90.7 €79.0
-60.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.79 PGK 158
$40.49 €35.30
-11.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.4 PGK 297
$99.8 €87.0
-32.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.7 PGK 294
$130 €113
-48.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,090 PGK 13.6K
$865 €754
257.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 PGK 2,113
$672 €586
-28.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,199 PGK 14.1K
$1,523 €1,328
110.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$727 PGK 3,206
$1,078 €940
-32.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,075 PGK 9,154
$3,767 €3,284
-44.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,803 PGK 16.8K
$2,360 €2,058
61.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papua New Guinea
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$415 PGK 1,829
$1,949 €1,699
-78.72%
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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,985 in Papua New Guinea, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $2,194 in Port Moresby vs $1,334 in Rome.

National salary averages: $315 in Papua New Guinea, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 167% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 147% more in Italy.

Public transport is 450% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 507% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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 $1,817 per month in Italy and $837 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 117% 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?
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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy 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.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to 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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