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: $1,726 in Port Moresby versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,451 in Port Moresby versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Port Moresby versus $4,599 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 28% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 PGK 41.14

$17.08 €14.72

-43.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.53 PGK 208

$69.2 €59.7

-29.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 PGK 26.19

$13.78 €11.87

-55.73%

Cappuccino

$2.24 PGK 9.61

$2.76 €2.37

-18.84%

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

$0.76 PGK 3.27

$2.79 €2.40

-72.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 PGK 3.44

$1.99 €1.72

-59.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.51

$4.36 €3.76

-43.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 PGK 17.71

$4.74 €4.09

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.61

$1.29 €1.11

55.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 PGK 6.96

$2.05 €1.77

-20.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PGK 6.49

$1.99 €1.71

-24.12%

Eggs

$3.93 PGK 16.90

$3.39 €2.92

15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.47

$18.81 €16.21

-75.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 PGK 26.60

$9.36 €8.07

-33.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 PGK 40.95

$19.12 €16.48

-50.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PGK 17.85

$2.70 €2.32

54.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 PGK 12.51

$2.34 €2.02

24.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 PGK 23.65

$2.12 €1.83

159.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 PGK 24.26

$2.85 €2.46

98.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 PGK 14.42

$1.97 €1.70

70.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 PGK 11.57

$1.80 €1.55

49.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.70

$1.45 €1.25

104.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 PGK 5.50

$0.86 €0.74

48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 PGK 29.04

$6.78 €5.84

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 PGK 51.4

$7.90 €6.81

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 PGK 12.27

$1.39 €1.20

105.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PGK 16.81

$2.37 €2.04

64.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.13

$2.92 €2.52

-82.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.66 PGK 102

$28.69 €24.72

-17.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 PGK 25.28

$4.46 €3.84

31.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 PGK 10.76

$2.05 €1.77

21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.88 PGK 72.5

$29.55 €25.46

-42.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PGK 4.85

$1.82 €1.56

-37.91%

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

$22.3K PGK 95.6K

$38.8K €33.5K

-42.67%

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

$24.6K PGK 105.7K

$33.1K €28.5K

-25.63%

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

$104 PGK 448

$189 €163

-44.84%

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

$48.34 PGK 208

$22.80 €19.65

112.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,641

$37.59 €32.39

916.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 PGK 282

$57.7 €49.75

13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.26 PGK 87.0

$20.74 €17.87

-2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 PGK 41.38

$10.82 €9.33

-11.00%

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

$652 PGK 2,801

$728 €628

-10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,976 PGK 17.1K

$14.8K €12.7K

-73.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.89 PGK 137

$88.6 €76.4

-64.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 PGK 162

$36.85 €31.75

2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 PGK 329

$102 €87.9

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 PGK 428

$116 €100

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 PGK 9,230

$1,569 €1,352

36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 PGK 2,042

$1,218 €1,050

-60.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,424 PGK 14.7K

$2,795 €2,409

22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 PGK 3,545

$1,975 €1,702

-58.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,075 PGK 8,913

$7,754 €6,680

-73.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,896 PGK 16.7K

$5,176 €4,460

-24.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PGK 1,859

$2,343 €2,019

-81.54%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,149 in Port Moresby and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 442% 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 $308 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,726 vs $2,337 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 442% 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: $2,149 in Port Moresby versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $652 in Port Moresby versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Port Moresby is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 35% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.