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: $1,508 in Port Moresby versus $2,482 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,365 in Port Moresby versus $3,548 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Port Moresby versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 39% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 9% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 PGK 34.89

$18.42 €15.88

-56.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.45 PGK 193

$69.4 €59.8

-35.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PGK 24.33

$14.05 €12.11

-60.07%

Cappuccino

$2.48 PGK 10.75

$3.11 €2.68

-20.26%

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

$0.79 PGK 3.44

$2.96 €2.55

-73.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PGK 2.85

$1.95 €1.69

-66.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 PGK 13.50

$3.99 €3.44

-22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 PGK 15.84

$4.62 €3.98

-21.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 PGK 8.20

$1.32 €1.14

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 PGK 6.32

$2.11 €1.82

-30.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 PGK 6.23

$1.83 €1.57

-21.31%

Eggs

$3.59 PGK 15.59

$5.16 €4.45

-30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 PGK 38.10

$17.56 €15.14

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 PGK 22.48

$9.50 €8.19

-45.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 PGK 38.30

$19.93 €17.18

-55.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 PGK 18.12

$3.17 €2.73

31.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 PGK 13.29

$2.21 €1.91

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.06 PGK 26.32

$2.61 €2.25

132.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 PGK 26.43

$2.85 €2.46

113.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 PGK 14.49

$2.17 €1.87

53.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 PGK 11.19

$2.11 €1.81

22.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 PGK 9.43

$1.62 €1.39

33.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PGK 5.43

$0.88 €0.76

42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 PGK 27.45

$7.17 €6.18

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 PGK 51.6

$8.33 €7.18

42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 PGK 11.77

$1.50 €1.29

80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 PGK 14.96

$2.75 €2.37

25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PGK 1.86

$3.14 €2.70

-86.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.22 PGK 96.4

$26.25 €22.63

-15.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 PGK 24.37

$3.22 €2.78

74.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PGK 9.61

$1.51 €1.30

46.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.93 PGK 69.1

$35.26 €30.39

-54.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 PGK 4.33

$1.75 €1.51

-42.86%

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

$21.3K PGK 92.3K

$36.7K €31.6K

-41.98%

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

$17.6K PGK 76.5K

$31.7K €27.3K

-44.36%

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

$117 PGK 509

$187 €161

-37.33%

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

$23.37 PGK 101

$15.10 €13.01

54.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.9 PGK 407

$37.60 €32.41

149.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 PGK 269

$55.5 €47.83

11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.65 PGK 98.3

$16.74 €14.43

35.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.91 PGK 38.67

$11.71 €10.09

-23.91%

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

$839 PGK 3,643

$1,011 €871

-16.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,271 PGK 27.2K

$17.1K €14.7K

-63.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.71 PGK 142

$91.4 €78.8

-64.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.00 PGK 139

$41.00 €35.34

-21.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 PGK 607

$111 €95.3

26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 PGK 715

$126 €109

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 PGK 7,059

$1,704 €1,469

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 PGK 2,425

$1,299 €1,120

-57.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,758 PGK 12.0K

$2,588 €2,231

6.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 PGK 4,935

$1,929 €1,663

-41.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,098 PGK 9,103

$7,732 €6,665

-72.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,908 PGK 17.0K

$5,384 €4,641

-27.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 PGK 1,857

$2,374 €2,046

-81.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

3.16

285.13%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: September 5, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Port Moresby and $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 455% 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: $44.00 in Port Moresby vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $333 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,508 vs $2,482 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 455% 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: $1,627 in Port Moresby versus $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $839 in Port Moresby versus $1,011 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,508 in Port Moresby versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,000 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 65% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.