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: $1,728 in Port Moresby versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,491 in Port Moresby versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,255 in Port Moresby versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 26% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 29% above, Barcelona 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 PGK 41.57

$17.61 €15.04

-45.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.64 PGK 212

$68.7 €58.7

-29.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 PGK 26.00

$13.75 €11.74

-56.65%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 9.99

$2.76 €2.36

-17.03%

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

$0.81 PGK 3.53

$2.78 €2.38

-70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 PGK 3.47

$2.05 €1.75

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 PGK 10.71

$4.61 €3.93

-46.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 PGK 18.18

$4.59 €3.92

-9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 PGK 8.42

$1.28 €1.09

50.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 PGK 6.80

$2.11 €1.80

-26.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 PGK 6.77

$1.97 €1.68

-21.32%

Eggs

$3.73 PGK 16.28

$3.44 €2.94

8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 PGK 19.02

$18.83 €16.08

-76.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 PGK 26.81

$9.45 €8.07

-34.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 PGK 42.34

$19.01 €16.24

-48.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 PGK 17.23

$2.72 €2.32

45.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 PGK 12.33

$2.37 €2.03

19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 PGK 24.04

$2.08 €1.77

164.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 PGK 24.13

$2.76 €2.36

100.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 PGK 14.37

$1.97 €1.68

67.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 PGK 11.81

$1.79 €1.53

51.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 PGK 12.84

$1.51 €1.29

95.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PGK 5.82

$0.90 €0.77

47.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 PGK 30.30

$6.76 €5.77

2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 PGK 50.7

$7.55 €6.44

53.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 PGK 12.45

$1.44 €1.23

97.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 PGK 16.28

$2.41 €2.06

54.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 PGK 2.15

$3.03 €2.59

-83.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.46 PGK 107

$28.39 €24.25

-13.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 PGK 26.48

$4.43 €3.78

37.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 PGK 10.83

$2.05 €1.75

20.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 PGK 72.3

$29.33 €25.05

-43.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 4.97

$1.89 €1.61

-39.68%

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

$23.1K PGK 100.6K

$38.7K €33.1K

-40.42%

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

$24.7K PGK 107.5K

$32.4K €27.6K

-23.78%

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

$108 PGK 471

$189 €161

-42.71%

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

$47.93 PGK 209

$22.21 €18.96

115.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$375 PGK 1,635

$36.82 €31.44

918.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 PGK 292

$58.0 €49.52

15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 PGK 88.3

$20.99 €17.93

-3.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 PGK 42.36

$11.05 €9.44

-12.13%

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

$636 PGK 2,771

$726 €620

-12.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 PGK 17.6K

$15.2K €13.0K

-73.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.24 PGK 136

$88.3 €75.4

-64.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 PGK 164

$36.98 €31.58

1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 PGK 342

$103 €87.6

-23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 PGK 427

$119 €102

-17.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 PGK 9,592

$1,526 €1,304

44.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,082

$1,218 €1,040

-60.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,421 PGK 14.9K

$2,794 €2,386

22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 PGK 3,680

$2,027 €1,731

-58.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,150 PGK 9,376

$7,094 €6,058

-69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 PGK 17.0K

$4,849 €4,141

-19.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 PGK 1,897

$2,404 €2,053

-81.91%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,200 in Port Moresby and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 453% 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: $49.00 in Port Moresby vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $320 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,728 vs $2,341 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 453% less. 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: $2,200 in Port Moresby versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $636 in Port Moresby versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,728 in Port Moresby versus $2,341 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 36% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.