Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Port Moresby versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,458 in Port Moresby versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,243 in Port Moresby versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 29% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 26% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.48

$17.15 €14.96

-45.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 PGK 208

$68.1 €59.3

-30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PGK 25.97

$13.64 €11.89

-56.82%

Cappuccino

$2.31 PGK 10.18

$2.78 €2.42

-16.91%

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

$0.81 PGK 3.59

$2.82 €2.46

-71.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PGK 3.46

$1.96 €1.71

-59.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.46

$4.43 €3.86

-46.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PGK 17.79

$4.61 €4.01

-12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 PGK 8.95

$1.27 €1.11

59.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 PGK 7.18

$2.13 €1.86

-23.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.57

$1.99 €1.73

-25.13%

Eggs

$3.92 PGK 17.29

$3.37 €2.93

16.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 PGK 19.76

$18.96 €16.53

-76.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 PGK 28.19

$9.53 €8.31

-32.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 PGK 42.63

$18.73 €16.33

-48.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 PGK 17.66

$2.65 €2.31

50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.44

$2.35 €2.05

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.61

$2.09 €1.82

166.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 PGK 23.80

$2.73 €2.38

97.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 PGK 14.27

$1.96 €1.71

64.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 PGK 12.40

$1.81 €1.58

55.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 PGK 13.09

$1.51 €1.32

96.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PGK 5.87

$0.89 €0.78

49.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.72 PGK 29.66

$6.78 €5.91

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 PGK 52.5

$7.92 €6.90

50.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 PGK 12.26

$1.37 €1.19

102.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 PGK 16.63

$2.40 €2.09

57.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 PGK 2.03

$2.91 €2.54

-84.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.87 PGK 105

$28.66 €24.98

-16.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 PGK 25.78

$4.58 €3.99

27.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 PGK 10.69

$2.04 €1.78

18.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.92 PGK 74.6

$28.72 €25.03

-41.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.03

$1.82 €1.59

-37.36%

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

$22.5K PGK 99.3K

$39.3K €34.3K

-42.71%

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

$24.5K PGK 107.9K

$32.5K €28.3K

-24.66%

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

$104 PGK 459

$187 €163

-44.23%

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

$48.57 PGK 214

$22.29 €19.43

117.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$375 PGK 1,654

$36.37 €31.71

931.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 PGK 289

$57.5 €50.2

13.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PGK 88.8

$20.74 €18.08

-2.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 PGK 41.92

$10.77 €9.39

-11.79%

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

$640 PGK 2,825

$725 €632

-11.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,999 PGK 17.6K

$15.2K €13.2K

-73.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.08 PGK 141

$87.9 €76.6

-63.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 PGK 166

$36.81 €32.09

2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 PGK 348

$103 €90.2

-23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 PGK 441

$119 €103

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 PGK 9,678

$1,524 €1,328

44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,107

$1,227 €1,070

-61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,402 PGK 15.0K

$2,727 €2,378

24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 PGK 3,758

$1,984 €1,730

-57.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 PGK 9,188

$7,469 €6,511

-72.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,850 PGK 17.0K

$5,243 €4,571

-26.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 PGK 1,880

$2,393 €2,086

-82.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

3.39

293.22%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Port Moresby and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 461% 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: $47.00 in Port Moresby vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $319 per month, with Port Moresby cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby and Barcelona differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,674 vs $2,359 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 461% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Port Moresby versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $640 in Port Moresby versus $725 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,674 in Port Moresby versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby 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.

Safety-wise, Port Moresby and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.