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