Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,469 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Moresby
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
$1,469
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,469 in Port Moresby versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Port Moresby $1,469
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,315 in Port Moresby versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Port Moresby $2,315
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,161 in Port Moresby versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Port Moresby $3,161
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 34% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 9% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.76 PGK 33.97
$16.50 €14.67
-52.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.08 PGK 193
$61.3 €54.5
-28.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 PGK 24.55
$11.27 €10.02
-50.22%
Cappuccino
$2.54 PGK 11.13
$3.06 €2.72
-16.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 PGK 3.23
$2.26 €2.01
-67.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 PGK 3.00
$1.73 €1.54
-60.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 PGK 13.28
$3.39 €3.02
-10.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 PGK 16.10
$3.40 €3.02
8.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 PGK 8.02
$1.12 €1.00
63.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 PGK 6.55
$1.86 €1.65
-19.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 PGK 5.97
$1.53 €1.36
-11.11%
Eggs
$3.74 PGK 16.38
$3.96 €3.53
-5.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.93 PGK 39.08
$12.76 €11.35
-30.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.94 PGK 21.64
$7.90 €7.02
-37.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.55 PGK 41.82
$16.97 €15.09
-43.72%
Apples (1kg)
$4.41 PGK 19.31
$2.27 €2.02
94.27%
Banana (1kg)
$3.27 PGK 14.29
$1.75 €1.55
86.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.28 PGK 31.87
$1.85 €1.64
293.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.46 PGK 28.27
$2.57 €2.28
151.36%
Potato (1kg)
$3.08 PGK 13.49
$1.86 €1.65
65.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 PGK 13.10
$2.02 €1.80
48.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 PGK 10.29
$1.44 €1.28
63.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 PGK 5.82
$0.82 €0.73
62.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.51 PGK 28.52
$6.56 €5.83
-0.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.94 PGK 47.88
$5.62 €5.00
94.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 PGK 11.83
$1.28 €1.14
110.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 PGK 15.43
$2.07 €1.84
70.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 PGK 2.05
$2.35 €2.09
-80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.74 PGK 99.5
$44.18 €39.29
-48.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 PGK 21.51
$3.99 €3.55
23.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 PGK 9.87
$1.09 €0.97
106.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.72 PGK 64.4
$16.64 €14.80
-11.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 PGK 4.38
$2.28 €2.03
-56.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.7K PGK 222.2K
$33.7K €30.0K
50.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.3K PGK 75.9K
$39.3K €34.9K
-55.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$118 PGK 516
$167 €149
-29.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.84 PGK 91.2
$18.80 €16.72
10.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.2 PGK 360
$33.09 €29.43
148.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.7 PGK 270
$46.01 €40.92
34.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.19 PGK 97.1
$19.19 €17.07
15.63%
Cinema Ticket
$8.80 PGK 38.51
$9.84 €8.75
-10.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$563 PGK 2,465
$677 €602
-16.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,239 PGK 27.3K
$16.9K €15.0K
-63.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.46 PGK 155
$101 €90.0
-64.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.95 PGK 149
$45.76 €40.70
-25.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.7 PGK 305
$100.0 €88.9
-30.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.3 PGK 422
$123 €109
-21.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,532 PGK 6,706
$1,614 €1,435
-5.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$564 PGK 2,470
$1,197 €1,065
-52.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,874 PGK 12.6K
$2,862 €2,545
0.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,182 PGK 5,172
$1,990 €1,770
-40.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,085 PGK 9,129
$7,577 €6,739
-72.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,782 PGK 16.6K
$4,307 €3,831
-12.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Moresby
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$427 PGK 1,870
$1,588 €1,412
-73.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.17
3.85
216.10%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Moresby
$564
Lisbon
$1.2K 112% $633
Groceries & Markets
Port Moresby
$320
Lisbon
$269 15.8% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Moresby
$221
Lisbon
$219 0.7% $1.5
Eating Out
Port Moresby
$138
Lisbon
$242 76% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Port Moresby
$106
Lisbon
$166 57.1% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Port Moresby
$79
Lisbon
$66 17.2% $14
Getting Around
Port Moresby
$41
Lisbon
$63 54.4% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,532 in Port Moresby and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 272% 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: $44.00 in Port Moresby vs $61.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇬 Port Moresby
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
14:12 2:12 PM
05:12 5:12 AM
9 h behind Port Moresby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
364,145 Capital
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PGK – Papua New Guinean Kina Converter

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.93 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Moresby Lisbon 16,000 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Moresby
  • Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Port Moresby and in Lisbon?
Port Moresby and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,469 vs $2,223 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 272% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Port Moresby and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,532 in Port Moresby versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Port Moresby and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $563 in Port Moresby versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,469 in Port Moresby versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Port Moresby and Lisbon?
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.
Is Port Moresby or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Port Moresby or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Port Moresby vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?