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 $1,702 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Port Moresby vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 27% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.38

$6.16 COP 20.0K

52.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.47 PGK 213

$32.60 COP 106.0K

48.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 PGK 25.84

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.09

$1.72 COP 5,592

33.14%

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

$0.80 PGK 3.53

$1.05 COP 3,416

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PGK 3.45

$0.77 COP 2,511

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.76

$1.69 COP 5,480

44.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.15

$3.17 COP 10.3K

30.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 PGK 8.51

$1.05 COP 3,418

83.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 PGK 7.02

$1.30 COP 4,230

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.55

$1.40 COP 4,538

6.43%

Eggs

$3.75 PGK 16.49

$2.16 COP 7,037

73.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.91

$4.39 COP 14.3K

3.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 PGK 27.35

$5.88 COP 19.1K

5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 PGK 42.96

$8.64 COP 28.1K

12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 PGK 17.90

$2.28 COP 7,415

78.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.11 COP 3,599

154.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 PGK 25.08

$1.53 COP 4,976

272.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 PGK 23.81

$1.35 COP 4,405

300.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 PGK 14.29

$1.13 COP 3,669

187.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 PGK 12.21

$1.13 COP 3,687

146.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 PGK 13.55

$0.85 COP 2,749

262.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PGK 5.58

$0.91 COP 2,971

39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 PGK 30.74

$2.34 COP 7,619

198.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 PGK 52.2

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.20 COP 3,904

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PGK 16.84

$2.49 COP 8,094

53.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.20

$0.84 COP 2,724

-40.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.88 PGK 105

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-41.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 PGK 26.85

$1.42 COP 4,617

329.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 PGK 10.73

$1.92 COP 6,227

27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 PGK 75.2

$7.66 COP 24.9K

123.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.00

$0.99 COP 3,219

15.15%

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

$22.3K PGK 98.2K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

23.78%

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

$24.9K PGK 109.4K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-6.63%

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

$108 PGK 475

$80.8 COP 262.7K

33.47%

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

$47.63 PGK 210

$9.95 COP 32.3K

378.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$377 PGK 1,657

$24.18 COP 78.6K

1457.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 PGK 293

$25.08 COP 81.5K

165.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 PGK 91.1

$19.15 COP 62.3K

8.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 PGK 43.29

$3.98 COP 13.0K

147.24%

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

$633 PGK 2,786

$305 COP 992.2K

107.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 PGK 17.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-33.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.33 PGK 138

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-46.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.00 PGK 163

$32.20 COP 104.7K

14.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 PGK 335

$101 COP 327.5K

-24.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 PGK 428

$108 COP 350.3K

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 PGK 9,694

$477 COP 1.5M

362.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,102

$376 COP 1.2M

27.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,447 PGK 15.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

308.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 PGK 3,694

$730 COP 2.4M

14.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,188

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-35.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,904 PGK 17.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

184.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 PGK 1,932

$617 COP 2.0M

-28.82%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,203 in Port Moresby versus $477 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 40% 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: $306 vs $193 – 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 65%, 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 $2,553 per month in Port Moresby and $1,546 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 $1,702 in Port Moresby and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Port Moresby at $1,702. 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.