Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,556 per month in Port Moresby vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,388 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,221 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 64% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 13% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 PGK 34.26

$2.08 ฿69.4

280.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 PGK 195

$19.64 ฿654

129.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 PGK 24.46

$5.65 ฿188

Cappuccino

$2.58 PGK 11.18

$1.81 ฿60.1

42.54%

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

$0.72 PGK 3.13

$0.71 ฿23.75

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PGK 2.80

$0.32 ฿10.52

103.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 PGK 13.27

$2.24 ฿74.5

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 PGK 15.92

$3.63 ฿121

1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 PGK 8.09

$1.96 ฿65.2

-4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 PGK 6.56

$1.50 ฿50.0

1.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PGK 6.16

$1.34 ฿44.49

5.97%

Eggs

$3.74 PGK 16.21

$2.26 ฿75.4

65.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 PGK 37.36

$16.26 ฿541

-46.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 PGK 21.73

$2.95 ฿98.4

70.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 PGK 38.44

$9.94 ฿331

-10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 PGK 18.13

$2.57 ฿85.7

63.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 PGK 12.88

$1.06 ฿35.18

180.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 PGK 26.38

$1.61 ฿53.7

278.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 PGK 27.10

$1.52 ฿50.6

311.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PGK 14.41

$1.27 ฿42.30

162.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 PGK 11.13

$1.07 ฿35.51

140.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 PGK 8.98

$0.72 ฿23.98

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PGK 5.13

$0.51 ฿16.94

131.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 PGK 26.45

$4.19 ฿140

45.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 PGK 51.0

$17.87 ฿595

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.20

$1.69 ฿56.4

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 PGK 15.00

$2.84 ฿94.5

22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PGK 1.85

$0.93 ฿30.82

-53.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 PGK 99.1

$53.9 ฿1,794

-57.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 PGK 24.27

$1.23 ฿41.11

356.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PGK 9.49

$0.58 ฿19.20

277.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 PGK 69.2

$2.42 ฿80.7

560.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PGK 4.25

$1.41 ฿47.03

-30.50%

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

$21.7K PGK 93.7K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

0.98%

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

$17.8K PGK 77.3K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-34.71%

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

$120 PGK 521

$63.7 ฿2,120

89.02%

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

$23.30 PGK 101

$12.85 ฿428

81.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.3 PGK 408

$20.22 ฿673

366.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 PGK 266

$38.74 ฿1,290

58.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 PGK 97.2

$3.97 ฿132

465.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 PGK 38.15

$6.74 ฿224

30.71%

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

$861 PGK 3,725

$778 ฿25.9K

10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,301 PGK 27.3K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-56.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.99 PGK 143

$54.3 ฿1,808

-39.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.58 PGK 141

$25.45 ฿847

28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 PGK 590

$94.3 ฿3,141

44.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 PGK 707

$73.4 ฿2,446

122.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 PGK 7,174

$490 ฿16.3K

238.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 PGK 2,474

$289 ฿9,634

97.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,713 PGK 11.7K

$894 ฿29.8K

203.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 PGK 5,054

$517 ฿17.2K

125.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 PGK 9,195

$1,955 ฿65.1K

8.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,891 PGK 16.8K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

163.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 PGK 1,898

$602 ฿20.0K

-27.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

5.57

118.49%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,657 in Port Moresby versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Moresby versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby costs about 64% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,333 per month in Port Moresby and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $861 per month in Port Moresby and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Port Moresby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Port Moresby at $1,556. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Moresby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,556 in Port Moresby. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Moresby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.