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