Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,556 in Port Moresby versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,388 in Port Moresby versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,221 in Port Moresby versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 33% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 13% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 PGK 34.26

$17.30 €14.92

-54.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 PGK 195

$63.3 €54.6

-28.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 PGK 24.46

$11.39 €9.83

-50.40%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PGK 11.18

$3.19 €2.75

-19.12%

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

$0.72 PGK 3.13

$2.45 €2.11

-70.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PGK 2.80

$1.76 €1.52

-63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 PGK 13.27

$3.59 €3.10

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 PGK 15.92

$3.39 €2.93

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 PGK 8.09

$1.24 €1.07

50.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 PGK 6.56

$1.98 €1.71

-23.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PGK 6.16

$1.52 €1.31

-6.58%

Eggs

$3.74 PGK 16.21

$4.04 €3.49

-7.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 PGK 37.36

$13.54 €11.68

-36.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 PGK 21.73

$8.39 €7.23

-40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 PGK 38.44

$18.25 €15.74

-51.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 PGK 18.13

$2.29 €1.97

82.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 PGK 12.88

$1.74 €1.50

70.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 PGK 26.38

$1.86 €1.60

227.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 PGK 27.10

$2.63 €2.27

138.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PGK 14.41

$1.92 €1.65

73.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 PGK 11.13

$2.09 €1.81

22.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 PGK 8.98

$1.44 €1.24

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PGK 5.13

$0.84 €0.73

40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 PGK 26.45

$6.78 €5.85

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 PGK 51.0

$5.71 €4.93

106.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.20

$1.38 €1.19

104.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 PGK 15.00

$2.22 €1.91

56.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PGK 1.85

$2.40 €2.07

-82.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 PGK 99.1

$46.78 €40.35

-51.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 PGK 24.27

$4.17 €3.60

34.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PGK 9.49

$1.14 €0.98

92.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 PGK 69.2

$17.68 €15.25

-9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PGK 4.25

$2.32 €2.00

-57.76%

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

$21.7K PGK 93.7K

$35.3K €30.5K

-38.72%

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

$17.8K PGK 77.3K

$41.4K €35.7K

-56.94%

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

$120 PGK 521

$170 €147

-29.34%

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

$23.30 PGK 101

$19.34 €16.68

20.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.3 PGK 408

$33.64 €29.01

180.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 PGK 266

$48.10 €41.48

27.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 PGK 97.2

$19.90 €17.16

12.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 PGK 38.15

$9.92 €8.56

-11.19%

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

$861 PGK 3,725

$717 €619

19.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,301 PGK 27.3K

$17.5K €15.1K

-63.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.99 PGK 143

$105 €90.4

-68.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.58 PGK 141

$46.95 €40.49

-30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 PGK 590

$103 €89.2

31.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 PGK 707

$124 €107

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 PGK 7,174

$1,677 €1,446

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 PGK 2,474

$1,271 €1,096

-55.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,713 PGK 11.7K

$2,985 €2,574

-9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 PGK 5,054

$1,992 €1,718

-41.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 PGK 9,195

$7,826 €6,750

-72.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,891 PGK 16.8K

$4,658 €4,017

-16.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 PGK 1,898

$1,583 €1,365

-72.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

3.79

221.11%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,657 in Port Moresby and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 261% 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: $45.00 in Port Moresby vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $283, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby and Lisbon differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,556 vs $2,316 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 261% lower in Lisbon. 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: $1,657 in Port Moresby versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $861 in Port Moresby versus $717 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 Lisbon 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 49% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.