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 $1,726 per month in Port Moresby vs $232 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,451 per month in Port Moresby vs $427 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Port Moresby vs $622 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 643% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 28% above the global median, while Lihir Island is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 PGK 41.14

$4.71 PGK 20.22

103.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.53 PGK 208

$29.29 PGK 126

65.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 PGK 26.19

$5.85 PGK 25.13

4.27%

Cappuccino

$2.24 PGK 9.61

$2.36 PGK 10.14

-5.08%

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

$0.76 PGK 3.27

$0.73 PGK 3.15

4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 PGK 3.44

$0.71 PGK 3.04

12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.51

$3.65 PGK 15.66

-32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 PGK 17.71

$2.35 PGK 10.08

75.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.61

$1.66 PGK 7.13

20.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 PGK 6.96

$1.42 PGK 6.09

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PGK 6.49

$1.41 PGK 6.05

7.09%

Eggs

$3.93 PGK 16.90

$2.27 PGK 9.77

73.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.47

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 PGK 26.60

$4.38 PGK 18.83

41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 PGK 40.95

$2.42 PGK 10.40

293.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PGK 17.85

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 PGK 12.51

$1.41 PGK 6.04

106.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 PGK 23.65

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 PGK 24.26

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 PGK 14.42

$2.35 PGK 10.08

42.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 PGK 11.57

$0.92 PGK 3.94

192.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 PGK 5.50

$0.46 PGK 1.96

178.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 PGK 29.04

$6.01 PGK 25.83

12.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 PGK 51.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 PGK 12.27

$2.39 PGK 10.25

19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PGK 16.81

$2.38 PGK 10.22

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.66 PGK 102

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 PGK 25.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 PGK 10.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.88 PGK 72.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PGK 4.85

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

$22.3K PGK 95.6K

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

$24.6K PGK 105.7K

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

$104 PGK 448

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

$48.34 PGK 208

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,641

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 PGK 282

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.26 PGK 87.0

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 PGK 41.38

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

$652 PGK 2,801

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,976 PGK 17.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.89 PGK 137

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 PGK 162

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 PGK 329

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 PGK 428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 PGK 9,230

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 PGK 2,042

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,424 PGK 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 PGK 3,545

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,075 PGK 8,913

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,896 PGK 16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PGK 1,859

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Port Moresby versus $29.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $114 – 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: $1,726 in Port Moresby, $232 in Lihir Island – roughly 643% apart. Port Moresby costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 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 $49.00 in Port Moresby and $29.00 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 $1,726 in Port Moresby and $232 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 $232, than in Port Moresby at $1,726. 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.