Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lihir Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lihir Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Port Moresby vs $233 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,458 per month in Port Moresby vs $428 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,243 per month in Port Moresby vs $623 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 619% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 26% above the global median, while Lihir Island is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.48

$4.86 PGK 21.43

93.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 PGK 208

$28.36 PGK 125

65.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PGK 25.97

$6.18 PGK 27.25

-4.69%

Cappuccino

$2.31 PGK 10.18

$2.43 PGK 10.71

-4.94%

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

$0.81 PGK 3.59

$0.75 PGK 3.30

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PGK 3.46

$0.73 PGK 3.22

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.46

$3.63 PGK 16.00

-34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PGK 17.79

$2.45 PGK 10.79

64.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 PGK 8.95

$1.73 PGK 7.63

17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 PGK 7.18

$1.42 PGK 6.26

14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.57

$1.48 PGK 6.51

0.68%

Eggs

$3.92 PGK 17.29

$2.31 PGK 10.20

69.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 PGK 19.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 PGK 28.19

$4.21 PGK 18.55

51.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 PGK 42.63

$2.33 PGK 10.27

314.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 PGK 17.66

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.44

$1.46 PGK 6.46

93.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.61

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 PGK 23.80

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 PGK 14.27

$2.44 PGK 10.77

32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 PGK 12.40

$0.98 PGK 4.32

186.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 PGK 13.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PGK 5.87

$0.50 PGK 2.22

166.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.72 PGK 29.66

$5.98 PGK 26.36

12.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 PGK 52.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 PGK 12.26

$2.35 PGK 10.36

18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 PGK 16.63

$2.43 PGK 10.70

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 PGK 2.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.87 PGK 105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 PGK 25.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 PGK 10.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.92 PGK 74.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.03

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

$22.5K PGK 99.3K

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

$24.5K PGK 107.9K

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

$104 PGK 459

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

$48.57 PGK 214

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$375 PGK 1,654

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 PGK 289

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PGK 88.8

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 PGK 41.92

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

$640 PGK 2,825

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,999 PGK 17.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.08 PGK 141

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 PGK 166

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 PGK 348

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 PGK 441

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 PGK 9,678

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,107

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,402 PGK 15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 PGK 3,758

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 PGK 9,188

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,850 PGK 17.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 PGK 1,880

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

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

Last update for Port Moresby: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Port Moresby versus $28.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $115 – making Lihir Island 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 Lihir Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,674 in Port Moresby, $233 in Lihir Island – roughly 619% apart. Port Moresby costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,510 per month in Port Moresby and $349 in Lihir Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Port Moresby and $28.00 in Lihir Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,674 in Port Moresby and $233 in Lihir Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $233, than in Port Moresby at $1,674. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Moresby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lihir Island – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lihir Island. 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.