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: $1,689 in Port Moresby versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Port Moresby versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,255 in Port Moresby versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 24% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 26% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 PGK 42.93

$15.91 €13.69

-38.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.81 PGK 209

$64.8 €55.7

-26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.92

$10.51 €9.04

-43.48%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.01

$2.87 €2.47

-20.21%

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

$0.75 PGK 3.29

$2.24 €1.93

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$1.50 €1.29

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.35

$3.49 €3.00

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 PGK 18.10

$3.88 €3.34

6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.72

$1.14 €0.98

75.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 PGK 6.80

$1.75 €1.51

-10.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.48

$1.76 €1.51

-15.34%

Eggs

$3.89 PGK 16.95

$3.22 €2.77

20.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$13.49 €11.61

-66.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.97

$7.91 €6.81

-18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 PGK 40.72

$15.87 €13.65

-41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 PGK 17.34

$2.31 €1.99

72.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.62

$1.70 €1.46

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.34

$2.01 €1.73

177.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 PGK 24.67

$2.46 €2.12

130.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.81

$1.84 €1.59

84.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 PGK 11.70

$2.00 €1.72

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.89

$1.93 €1.66

53.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PGK 5.74

$0.79 €0.68

67.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 PGK 29.09

$6.61 €5.68

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 PGK 51.8

$5.72 €4.92

107.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 PGK 12.58

$1.37 €1.17

110.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PGK 16.65

$2.97 €2.56

28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$2.37 €2.04

-80.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.77 PGK 104

$45.56 €39.19

-47.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PGK 25.52

$4.29 €3.69

36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.49

$0.82 €0.70

192.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 PGK 71.9

$18.30 €15.74

-9.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 4.99

$2.06 €1.78

-44.66%

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

$22.9K PGK 99.9K

$34.3K €29.5K

-33.16%

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

$24.6K PGK 107.3K

$39.3K €33.8K

-37.39%

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

$105 PGK 458

$148 €127

-29.05%

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

$46.75 PGK 204

$20.52 €17.65

127.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,667

$39.61 €34.08

865.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 PGK 293

$47.85 €41.16

40.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 PGK 89.9

$18.92 €16.28

8.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 PGK 42.44

$9.18 €7.90

5.99%

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

$639 PGK 2,787

$614 €528

4.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,095 PGK 17.9K

$16.0K €13.8K

-74.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.07 PGK 136

$105 €90.0

-70.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 PGK 160

$42.06 €36.18

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 PGK 336

$94.0 €80.8

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 PGK 430

$120 €103

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 PGK 9,380

$1,628 €1,400

32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 PGK 2,096

$1,255 €1,080

-61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 PGK 14.9K

$3,030 €2,607

12.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 PGK 3,603

$2,020 €1,738

-59.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,127 PGK 9,275

$7,800 €6,709

-72.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,892 PGK 17.0K

$4,273 €3,675

-8.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 PGK 1,945

$1,603 €1,379

-72.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

3.81

249.87%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,151 in Port Moresby and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 260% 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: $48.00 in Port Moresby vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $269, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,689 vs $2,210 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 260% less. 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: $2,151 in Port Moresby versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $639 in Port Moresby versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 14% 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 31% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.