Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $92.7 a month against $1,469 in Port Moresby, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
Learn more

Port Moresby Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Ba
Learn more

Ba Living Index

Jump to prices

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,469

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$92.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Moresby and in Ba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Moresby and in Ba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,469 in Port Moresby versus $92.7 in Ba.

Port Moresby $1,469
Ba $92.7

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,315 in Port Moresby versus $207 in Ba.

Port Moresby $2,315
Ba $207

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,161 in Port Moresby versus $321 in Ba.

Port Moresby $3,161
Ba $321

Living in Port Moresby is roughly 1484% more expensive than in Ba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Moresby is 9% above, Ba is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 PGK 34.25

$2.05 FJD 4.59

278.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.08 PGK 195

$29.78 FJD 66.7

48.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PGK 24.76

$6.10 FJD 13.66

-8.03%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PGK 11.22

$1.96 FJD 4.39

29.59%

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

$0.74 PGK 3.26

$0.98 FJD 2.20

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 PGK 3.03

$0.98 FJD 2.19

-29.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 PGK 13.39

$3.95 FJD 8.84

-23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 PGK 16.23

$3.45 FJD 7.72

6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PGK 8.09

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 PGK 6.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PGK 6.02

Eggs

$3.74 PGK 16.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 PGK 39.40

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 PGK 21.82

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 PGK 42.18

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 PGK 19.47

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 PGK 14.41

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 PGK 32.14

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 PGK 28.50

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 PGK 13.60

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 PGK 13.21

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 PGK 10.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PGK 5.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 PGK 28.76

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 PGK 48.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 PGK 11.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PGK 15.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 PGK 100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 PGK 21.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 PGK 9.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 PGK 65.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 PGK 4.42

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

$50.7K PGK 224.0K

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

$17.3K PGK 76.5K

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

$118 PGK 520

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

$20.84 PGK 92.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.2 PGK 363

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 PGK 273

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 PGK 98.0

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 PGK 38.84

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

$563 PGK 2,486

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,239 PGK 27.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.46 PGK 157

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.95 PGK 150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 PGK 308

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 PGK 425

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 PGK 6,762

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 PGK 2,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 PGK 12.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 PGK 5,216

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 PGK 9,206

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,782 PGK 16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PGK 1,885

$385 FJD 863

10.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

204.25%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Moresby

$564 38.4%

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Port Moresby

$320 21.8%

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Moresby

$221 15%

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Port Moresby

$138 9.4%

$93 100% 32.6% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Port Moresby

$106 7.2%

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Port Moresby

$79 5.4%

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Port Moresby

$41 2.8%

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Port Moresby pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $44.00 in Port Moresby vs $30.00 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

05:51 5:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

2 h ahead of Port Moresby

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,145 Capital

15,000

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.227 USD

1 PGK = 0.202 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.399 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to PGK – Papua New Guinean Kina Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 4.41 PGK (1 PGK = 0.227 USD). 1 EUR = 4.94 PGK (1 PGK = 0.202 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.399 EUR).

USD to PGK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Port Moresby Ba 3,410 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Port Moresby
Ba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Port Moresby vs Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 1484% lower than in Port Moresby. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Port Moresby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $44.00 in Port Moresby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Port Moresby versus $92.7 in Ba – a 1484% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $92.7 in Ba versus $1,469 in Port Moresby, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Port Moresby. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1484% less than in Port Moresby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.