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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,472 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,255 per month in Port Moresby vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 67% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 26% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 PGK 42.93

$5.99 COP 21.4K

64.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.81 PGK 209

$32.86 COP 117.4K

45.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.92

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-16.22%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.01

$1.71 COP 6,115

33.92%

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

$0.75 PGK 3.29

$1.10 COP 3,924

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$0.78 COP 2,781

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.35

$1.68 COP 5,997

41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 PGK 18.10

$3.07 COP 11.0K

35.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.72

$1.09 COP 3,906

83.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 PGK 6.80

$1.26 COP 4,508

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.48

$1.38 COP 4,922

7.97%

Eggs

$3.89 PGK 16.95

$2.19 COP 7,827

77.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$4.40 COP 15.7K

3.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.97

$5.63 COP 20.1K

13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 PGK 40.72

$8.89 COP 31.8K

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 PGK 17.34

$2.34 COP 8,349

70.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.62

$1.06 COP 3,777

172.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.34

$1.50 COP 5,374

272.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 PGK 24.67

$1.38 COP 4,924

310.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.81

$1.15 COP 4,111

195.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 PGK 11.70

$1.16 COP 4,155

131.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.89

$0.89 COP 3,182

232.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PGK 5.74

$0.84 COP 2,997

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 PGK 29.09

$2.28 COP 8,145

192.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 PGK 51.8

$10.64 COP 38.0K

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 PGK 12.58

$1.20 COP 4,284

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PGK 16.65

$2.47 COP 8,824

54.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$0.86 COP 3,056

-45.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.77 PGK 104

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-42.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PGK 25.52

$1.47 COP 5,264

297.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.49

$1.96 COP 7,009

22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 PGK 71.9

$7.74 COP 27.6K

113.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 4.99

$0.95 COP 3,409

20.00%

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

$22.9K PGK 99.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

26.37%

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

$24.6K PGK 107.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-7.12%

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

$105 PGK 458

$82.3 COP 293.7K

27.56%

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

$46.75 PGK 204

$9.50 COP 33.9K

392.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,667

$24.23 COP 86.5K

1477.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 PGK 293

$25.89 COP 92.4K

159.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 PGK 89.9

$19.00 COP 67.9K

8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 PGK 42.44

$3.93 COP 14.0K

147.58%

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

$639 PGK 2,787

$309 COP 1.1M

106.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,095 PGK 17.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-31.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.07 PGK 136

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-47.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 PGK 160

$32.35 COP 115.5K

13.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 PGK 336

$103 COP 366.4K

-24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 PGK 430

$108 COP 387.2K

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 PGK 9,380

$476 COP 1.7M

351.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 PGK 2,096

$379 COP 1.4M

26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 PGK 14.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

308.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 PGK 3,603

$724 COP 2.6M

14.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,127 PGK 9,275

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-23.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,892 PGK 17.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

221.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 PGK 1,945

$512 COP 1.8M

-12.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

13.43

-0.74%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Port Moresby versus $476 in Medellin. 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 15% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Port Moresby versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $188 – making Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Moresby is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,533 per month in Port Moresby and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Port Moresby and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,689 in Port Moresby and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Port Moresby at $1,689. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Moresby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. 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.