Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Marshall Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Marshall Islands

Name: Marshall Islands
Address: MH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $695 in Papua New Guinea versus $2,090 in Marshall Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Papua New Guinea versus $3,084 in Marshall Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,306 in Papua New Guinea versus $4,078 in Marshall Islands.

Living in Papua New Guinea costs about 67% less than in Marshall Islands on average.

Papua New Guinea (48% below) and Marshall Islands (56% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Papua New Guinea: monthly costs span $0 to $1,732, compared to $2,090–$2,090 in Marshall Islands. City choice carries more weight in Papua New Guinea.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 PGK 34.99

$12.41 $12.41

-35.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.31 PGK 208

$30.22 $30.22

56.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 PGK 25.87

$10.65 $10.65

-44.79%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PGK 10.33

$4.15 $4.15

-43.37%

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

$0.85 PGK 3.74

$1.79 $1.79

-52.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PGK 3.47

$2.38 $2.38

-66.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 PGK 12.89

$4.37 $4.37

-32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 PGK 20.56

$4.97 $4.97

-6.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 PGK 8.82

$2.26 $2.26

-11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 PGK 6.72

$3.49 $3.49

-56.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 PGK 6.49

$1.81 $1.81

-18.78%

Eggs

$3.86 PGK 16.96

$4.15 $4.15

-6.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PGK 27.74

$29.13 $29.13

-78.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 PGK 27.99

$11.16 $11.16

-43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 PGK 40.56

$18.16 $18.16

-49.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 PGK 17.85

$4.38 $4.38

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 PGK 12.36

$7.13 $7.13

-60.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 PGK 20.64

$8.64 $8.64

-45.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 PGK 17.36

$12.72 $12.72

-68.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 PGK 14.46

$5.24 $5.24

-37.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 PGK 11.06

$5.55 $5.55

-54.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 PGK 12.59

$3.70 $3.70

-22.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PGK 4.66

$1.49 $1.49

-28.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 PGK 29.10

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 PGK 49.28

$10.06 $10.06

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 PGK 11.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PGK 15.42

$2.23 $2.23

56.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 PGK 2.03

$2.55 $2.55

-81.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 PGK 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 PGK 23.18

$2.53 $2.53

108.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.55

$1.49 $1.49

61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.87 PGK 74.2

$4.96 $4.96

240.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PGK 4.89

$1.81 $1.81

-38.67%

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

$23.6K PGK 103.8K

$18.5K $18.5K

27.19%

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

$31.0K PGK 136.3K

$13.2K $13.2K

134.66%

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

$102 PGK 450

$253 $253

-59.56%

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

$49.38 PGK 217

$38.10 $38.10

29.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$215 PGK 947

$71.2 $71.2

202.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.3 PGK 278

$33.93 $33.93

86.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 PGK 54.8

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 PGK 42.78

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

$435 PGK 1,915

$153 $153

184.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,072 PGK 17.9K

$3,543 $3,543

14.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.64 PGK 152

$57.1 $57.1

-39.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 PGK 154

$39.35 $39.35

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 PGK 303

$35.22 $35.22

95.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 PGK 295

$53.9 $53.9

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,112 PGK 13.7K

$782 $782

298.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 PGK 2,143

$840 $840

-42.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,247 PGK 14.3K

$1,374 $1,374

136.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 PGK 3,118

$1,411 $1,411

-49.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 PGK 11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,956 PGK 17.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 PGK 1,755

$1,503 $1,503

-73.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.75

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

Last update for Papua New Guinea: April 21, 2026

Last update for Marshall Islands: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,993 in Papua New Guinea, $778 in Marshall Islands. Capital cities: $2,146 in Port Moresby vs $778 in Majuro.

National salary averages: $303 in Papua New Guinea, $1,000 in Marshall Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 156% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Salaries are 230% higher in Marshall Islands.

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 Marshall Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $2,090 per month in Marshall Islands and $866 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 141% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in Marshall Islands 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.

In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Marshall Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; Marshall Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.