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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,702 in Port Moresby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,442 in Port Moresby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,181 in Port Moresby, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Port Moresby, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Port Moresby is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$9.40 PGK 41.38

27.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$48.47 PGK 213

-13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.87 PGK 25.84

83.13%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.29 PGK 10.09

52.84%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.80 PGK 3.53

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.78 PGK 3.45

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.45 PGK 10.76

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$4.13 PGK 18.15

9.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.93 PGK 8.51

-25.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.60 PGK 7.02

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.49 PGK 6.55

5.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.75 PGK 16.49

-33.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.53 PGK 19.91

82.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.22 PGK 27.35

35.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.76 PGK 42.96

9.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.07 PGK 17.90

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.82 PGK 12.39

-48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$5.70 PGK 25.08

-65.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$5.41 PGK 23.81

-61.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$3.25 PGK 14.29

-43.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.78 PGK 12.21

-21.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$3.08 PGK 13.55

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.27 PGK 5.58

-15.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$6.99 PGK 30.74

-41.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$11.86 PGK 52.2

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.82 PGK 12.39

-40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.83 PGK 16.84

-33.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.50 PGK 2.20

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$23.88 PGK 105

9.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$6.10 PGK 26.85

-47.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.44 PGK 10.73

-1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$17.09 PGK 75.2

-81.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.14 PGK 5.00

15.79%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$22.3K PGK 98.2K

33.06%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.9K PGK 109.4K

-4.82%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$108 PGK 475

-23.97%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$47.63 PGK 210

-51.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$377 PGK 1,657

-92.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$66.5 PGK 293

-21.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$20.71 PGK 91.1

-10.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$9.84 PGK 43.29

-49.39%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$633 PGK 2,786

-68.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,013 PGK 17.7K

32.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$31.33 PGK 138

13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$37.00 PGK 163

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$76.2 PGK 335

3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$97.2 PGK 428

-8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$2,203 PGK 9,694

-57.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$478 PGK 2,102

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$3,447 PGK 15.2K

-52.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$840 PGK 3,694

44.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,088 PGK 9,188

94.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,904 PGK 17.2K

65.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$439 PGK 1,932

48.94%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,203 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 $306 – 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 36%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,553 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,702 in Port Moresby. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $1,256, than in Port Moresby at $1,702. 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.