🙂A single person spends $690 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $1,642 in Spain, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $985 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $2,399 in Spain, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,280 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $3,155 in Spain, rent included.
🙂Papua New Guinea is roughly 58% cheaper than Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Papua New Guinea sits 49% below the global median, while Spain is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.87PGK 33.79
$15.98€13.81
-50.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.39PGK 204
$57.6€49.77
-17.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.97PGK 25.65
$10.27€8.88
-41.87%
Cappuccino
$2.31PGK 9.94
$2.38€2.05
-2.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87PGK 3.72
$2.58€2.23
-66.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75PGK 3.23
$1.83€1.59
-59.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.81PGK 12.05
$3.54€3.06
-20.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48PGK 19.26
$4.09€3.53
9.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.91PGK 8.19
$1.22€1.06
56.56%
White Bread(500g)
$1.58PGK 6.78
$1.53€1.32
3.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.46PGK 6.28
$1.60€1.39
-8.75%
Eggs
$3.89PGK 16.70
$2.93€2.53
32.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.22PGK 26.72
$14.33€12.38
-56.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.53PGK 28.06
$8.31€7.18
-21.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97PGK 38.52
$15.62€13.50
-42.57%
Apples(1kg)
$4.02PGK 17.28
$2.53€2.18
58.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.82PGK 12.12
$1.99€1.72
41.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.81PGK 20.66
$2.11€1.83
127.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.94PGK 16.94
$2.54€2.20
55.12%
Potato(1kg)
$3.44PGK 14.80
$1.77€1.53
94.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49PGK 10.71
$1.98€1.71
25.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.89PGK 12.43
$1.30€1.12
122.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06PGK 4.54
$0.74€0.64
43.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.34PGK 27.23
$6.19€5.35
2.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.09PGK 47.64
$5.93€5.12
87.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53PGK 10.89
$1.25€1.08
102.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50PGK 15.02
$2.07€1.79
69.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.50PGK 2.13
$1.78€1.54
-71.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.53PGK 123
$34.91€30.16
-18.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.43PGK 23.31
$4.48€3.87
21.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.50PGK 10.72
$1.34€1.15
86.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.97PGK 72.9
$26.24€22.68
-35.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12PGK 4.83
$1.76€1.52
-36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8KPGK 102.2K
$38.2K€33.0K
-37.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5KPGK 135.2K
$31.6K€27.3K
-0.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$101PGK 434
$149€128
-32.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.27PGK 212
$20.16€17.42
144.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$212PGK 912
$34.11€29.48
522.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.8PGK 270
$47.12€40.72
33.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.50PGK 53.7
$15.83€13.68
-21.04%
Cinema Ticket
$9.53PGK 40.93
$9.47€8.18
0.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$445PGK 1,913
$517€446
-13.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,038PGK 17.3K
$10.2K€8,777
-60.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92PGK 154
$87.2€75.3
-58.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.10PGK 151
$37.36€32.28
-6.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$68.7PGK 295
$91.3€78.9
-24.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.5PGK 286
$106€91.2
-37.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,052PGK 13.1K
$1,074€928
184.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$475PGK 2,043
$815€704
-41.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,132PGK 13.5K
$1,691€1,461
85.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$725PGK 3,116
$1,228€1,061
-40.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,082PGK 8,943
$4,338€3,749
-52.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,827PGK 16.4K
$2,744€2,371
39.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papua New Guinea
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$423PGK 1,817
$2,031€1,755
-79.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.75
3.51
263.25%
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 Spain: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,944 in Papua New Guinea vs $898 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,149 in Port Moresby and $1,609 in Madrid.
💰Average salary: $319 in Papua New Guinea vs $2,011 in Spain. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 116% higher in Papua New Guinea.
⭐Dining out costs 77% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 313% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 530% higher in Spain, giving Spain 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Papua New Guinea more expensive than Spain?
Papua New Guinea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 154% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Papua New Guinea, contributing to the overall 154% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Papua New Guinea or Spain?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Papua New Guinea, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Papua New Guinea or Spain?
Papua New Guinea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.
Papua New Guinea vs other spots: cost of living compared