Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Port Moresby Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Port Moresby

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,689 in Port Moresby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,472 in Port Moresby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,255 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Port Moresby, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Port Moresby is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.84 PGK 42.93

19.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$47.81 PGK 209

-12.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.94 PGK 25.92

79.12%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.29 PGK 10.01

53.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.75 PGK 3.29

101.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.83 PGK 3.63

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.37 PGK 10.35

24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.15 PGK 18.10

7.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.00 PGK 8.72

-31.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.56 PGK 6.80

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.49 PGK 6.48

10.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.89 PGK 16.95

-35.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.56 PGK 19.88

82.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.41 PGK 27.97

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.34 PGK 40.72

14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.98 PGK 17.34

-34.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.89 PGK 12.62

-49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$5.58 PGK 24.34

-65.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.66 PGK 24.67

-63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.40 PGK 14.81

-47.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.68 PGK 11.70

-18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.96 PGK 12.89

-64.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.32 PGK 5.74

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.67 PGK 29.09

-38.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.88 PGK 51.8

-13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.88 PGK 12.58

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.82 PGK 16.65

-32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.47 PGK 2.04

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$23.77 PGK 104

11.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.85 PGK 25.52

-44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.40 PGK 10.49

3.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$16.49 PGK 71.9

-80.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.14 PGK 4.99

14.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$22.9K PGK 99.9K

32.16%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.6K PGK 107.3K

-4.76%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$105 PGK 458

-21.02%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$46.75 PGK 204

-52.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$382 PGK 1,667

-92.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$67.2 PGK 293

-23.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$20.62 PGK 89.9

-11.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.73 PGK 42.44

-47.89%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$639 PGK 2,787

-68.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,095 PGK 17.9K

27.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.07 PGK 136

18.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$36.74 PGK 160

8.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$77.1 PGK 336

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$98.6 PGK 430

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$2,151 PGK 9,380

-54.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$481 PGK 2,096

-2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,423 PGK 14.9K

-52.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$826 PGK 3,603

47.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,127 PGK 9,275

85.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$3,892 PGK 17.0K

66.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$446 PGK 1,945

48.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.33

-14.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,151 in Port Moresby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Port Moresby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $308 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Port Moresby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Moresby is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,533 in Port Moresby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,689 in Port Moresby. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Port Moresby at $1,689. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Moresby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Moresby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.