Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Mata Utu

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,532 a month against $5,241 in Mata Utu, rent and utilities included – about $44,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,532

/mo nomad

Mata Utu

🇼🇫 Wallis and Futuna

$5,241

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Moresby and in Mata Utu

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

A single person spends $1,532 per month in Port Moresby vs $5,241 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Port Moresby $1,532
Mata Utu $5,241

A couple spends around $2,418 per month in Port Moresby vs $6,656 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Port Moresby $2,418
Mata Utu $6,656

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Port Moresby vs $8,071 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Port Moresby $3,305
Mata Utu $8,071

Port Moresby is about 71% cheaper than Mata Utu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Port Moresby and Mata Utu sit above the global median – Port Moresby by 14%, Mata Utu by 291%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 PGK 33.98

$11.06 CFPF 1,176

-29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.89 PGK 192

$111 CFPF 11.8K

-60.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PGK 23.58

Cappuccino

$2.44 PGK 10.69

$7.68 CFPF 817

-68.23%

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

$0.77 PGK 3.38

$5.73 CFPF 610

-86.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PGK 2.95

$3.29 CFPF 350

-79.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 PGK 12.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PGK 15.59

$5.55 CFPF 590

-35.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PGK 7.97

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 PGK 6.74

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 PGK 6.09

Eggs

$3.62 PGK 15.86

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 PGK 37.85

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 PGK 24.55

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 PGK 43.46

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 PGK 18.45

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 PGK 13.67

Oranges (1kg)

$7.01 PGK 30.72

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 PGK 28.75

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.92

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 PGK 12.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 PGK 10.20

$11.17 CFPF 1,189

-79.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 PGK 5.64

$4.43 CFPF 471

-70.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 PGK 27.45

$16.77 CFPF 1,784

-62.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 PGK 47.04

$16.69 CFPF 1,776

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 PGK 11.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PGK 15.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 PGK 1.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.95 PGK 96.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 PGK 23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 PGK 9.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.47 PGK 67.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PGK 4.13

$1.83 CFPF 194

-48.63%

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

$49.2K PGK 215.6K

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

$17.3K PGK 75.6K

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

$117 PGK 513

$145 CFPF 15.4K

-19.07%

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

$22.67 PGK 99.4

$112 CFPF 12.0K

-79.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 PGK 399

$3,335 CFPF 354.8K

-97.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 PGK 264

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.04 PGK 96.6

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 PGK 38.31

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

$836 PGK 3,665

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,242 PGK 27.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.86 PGK 144

$220 CFPF 23.4K

-85.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 PGK 139

$91.5 CFPF 9,736

-65.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 PGK 595

$228 CFPF 24.3K

-40.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 PGK 702

$283 CFPF 30.1K

-43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 PGK 6,911

$898 CFPF 95.5K

75.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 PGK 2,414

$913 CFPF 97.1K

-39.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,049 PGK 13.4K

$2,238 CFPF 238.1K

36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 PGK 4,945

$2,282 CFPF 242.8K

-50.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,035 PGK 8,917

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,755 PGK 16.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 PGK 1,881

$3,338 CFPF 355.2K

-87.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

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

Last update for Port Moresby: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mata Utu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Moresby

$551 36.3%

Mata Utu

–

Groceries & Markets

Port Moresby

$320 21.1%

Mata Utu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Moresby

$231 15.2%

Mata Utu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Port Moresby

$162 10.7%

Mata Utu

–

Eating Out

Port Moresby

$135 8.9%

Mata Utu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Port Moresby

$78 5.1%

Mata Utu

–

Getting Around

Port Moresby

$40 2.7%

Mata Utu

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Port Moresby versus $898 in Mata Utu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 678% higher in Mata Utu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Moresby versus $111 in Mata Utu. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Port Moresby vs $131 in Mata Utu – so Mata Utu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🇼🇫 Mata Utu

🕒 Local time

21:38 9:38 PM

23:38 11:38 PM

2 h ahead of Port Moresby

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,145 Capital

1,200 Capital

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.204 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to PGK – Papua New Guinean Kina Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.91 PGK (1 PGK = 0.204 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.39 EUR).

USD to PGK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Port Moresby Mata Utu 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Port Moresby
Mata Utu

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 Mata Utu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,532 in Port Moresby, $5,241 in Mata Utu – roughly 242% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,298 per month in Port Moresby and $7,862 in Mata Utu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Moresby, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Moresby and $111 in Mata Utu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,532 in Port Moresby and $5,241 in Mata Utu. That's a gap of about 242%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Moresby, where all-in costs run around $1,532, than in Mata Utu at $5,241. In Port Moresby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mata Utu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Port Moresby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mata Utu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.