Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lae

For one person, living is cheaper in Lae: $817 a month against $1,427 in Port Moresby, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

69

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
Learn more

Port Moresby Living Index

Jump to prices

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,427

/mo nomad

Lae

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$817

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Moresby and in Lae

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Moresby and in Lae actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Port Moresby vs $817 in Lae, rent included.

Port Moresby $1,427
Lae $817

A couple spends around $2,248 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,470 in Lae, rent included.

Port Moresby $2,248
Lae $1,470

A family of three spends $3,068 per month in Port Moresby vs $2,123 in Lae, rent included.

Port Moresby $3,068
Lae $2,123

Port Moresby costs about 75% more than Lae, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Port Moresby sits 5% above the global median, while Lae is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 PGK 32.81

$23.60 PGK 103

-68.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.49 PGK 189

$50.5 PGK 219

-13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 PGK 23.41

Cappuccino

$2.45 PGK 10.63

$2.66 PGK 11.57

-7.89%

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

$0.72 PGK 3.13

$0.74 PGK 3.23

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 PGK 2.77

$0.57 PGK 2.47

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PGK 12.51

$3.22 PGK 14.01

-10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PGK 15.12

$5.10 PGK 22.13

-31.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PGK 7.90

$1.98 PGK 8.62

-8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 PGK 6.41

$1.45 PGK 6.28

2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PGK 5.86

$1.24 PGK 5.39

8.87%

Eggs

$3.70 PGK 16.06

$3.96 PGK 17.18

-6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 PGK 37.63

$9.41 PGK 40.86

-7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 PGK 20.65

$9.06 PGK 39.35

-47.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 PGK 41.53

$10.59 PGK 45.99

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 PGK 18.34

$4.30 PGK 18.67

-1.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 PGK 13.95

$2.69 PGK 11.68

19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.07 PGK 30.72

$5.87 PGK 25.50

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.83

$1.50 PGK 6.53

327.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 PGK 13.18

$3.37 PGK 14.62

-9.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.57

$2.34 PGK 10.14

23.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 PGK 10.05

$0.64 PGK 2.80

260.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PGK 5.76

$0.85 PGK 3.70

56.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 PGK 27.83

$6.75 PGK 29.32

-5.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 PGK 45.72

$12.26 PGK 53.2

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 PGK 11.33

$2.59 PGK 11.27

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 PGK 14.97

$4.34 PGK 18.87

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 PGK 1.99

$0.31 PGK 1.37

48.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.84 PGK 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 PGK 21.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 PGK 9.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.04 PGK 61.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PGK 4.23

$1.03 PGK 4.46

-5.83%

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

$49.7K PGK 215.7K

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

$17.0K PGK 73.8K

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

$117 PGK 510

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

$20.94 PGK 90.9

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 PGK 356

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 PGK 259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.28 PGK 96.8

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 PGK 36.94

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

$548 PGK 2,382

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,113 PGK 26.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.68 PGK 151

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 PGK 155

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 PGK 300

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 PGK 410

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 PGK 6,302

$436 PGK 1,892

233.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 PGK 2,333

$260 PGK 1,131

106.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,809 PGK 12.2K

$1,227 PGK 5,328

128.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 PGK 4,869

$619 PGK 2,690

81.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 PGK 8,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,717 PGK 16.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 PGK 1,863

$156 PGK 676

175.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

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

Last update for Port Moresby: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lae: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Moresby

$537 37.6%

Lae

–

Groceries & Markets

Port Moresby

$313 22%

Lae

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Moresby

$220 15.4%

Lae

–

Eating Out

Port Moresby

$133 9.3%

Lae

–

Clothing & Footwear

Port Moresby

$105 7.4%

Lae

–

Sport & Entertainment

Port Moresby

$77 5.4%

Lae

–

Getting Around

Port Moresby

$42 2.9%

Lae

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,451 in Port Moresby versus $436 in Lae. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Port Moresby are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Port Moresby versus $50 in Lae. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Port Moresby vs $303 in Lae – so Lae wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Lae

🕒 Local time

06:31 6:31 AM

Same time as Port Moresby

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,145 Capital

250,948

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.207 EUR

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.207 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Port Moresby Lae 310 km

From you

Port Moresby
Lae

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby costs about 75% more than Lae, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Port Moresby and $1,225 in Lae. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lae, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $436 there versus $1,451 in Port Moresby.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,427 in Port Moresby and $817 in Lae. That’s a gap of about 75%.

Groceries cost about 3% 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.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,427 in Port Moresby and $817 in Lae. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Port Moresby has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $817 in Lae to $1,427 in Port Moresby. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lae. 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.