Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,689 in Port Moresby versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Port Moresby versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,255 in Port Moresby versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Moresby is roughly 15% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 26% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 PGK 42.93

$13.18 MX$228

-25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.81 PGK 209

$53.9 MX$932

-11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.92

$9.42 MX$163

-36.94%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.01

$3.55 MX$61.4

-35.49%

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

$0.75 PGK 3.29

$1.62 MX$27.98

-53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$1.11 MX$19.27

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.35

$3.12 MX$54.0

-24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 PGK 18.10

$4.63 MX$80.1

-10.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.72

$1.70 MX$29.43

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 PGK 6.80

$2.72 MX$47.02

-42.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.48

$1.91 MX$33.07

-21.99%

Eggs

$3.89 PGK 16.95

$2.54 MX$43.86

53.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$10.03 MX$174

-54.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.97

$8.09 MX$140

-20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 PGK 40.72

$11.62 MX$201

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 PGK 17.34

$2.97 MX$51.3

34.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.62

$1.81 MX$31.24

59.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.34

$2.01 MX$34.82

177.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 PGK 24.67

$2.03 MX$35.20

178.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.81

$2.12 MX$36.75

60.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 PGK 11.70

$2.27 MX$39.25

18.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.89

$1.40 MX$24.22

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PGK 5.74

$1.13 MX$19.55

16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 PGK 29.09

$4.27 MX$73.9

56.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 PGK 51.8

$15.56 MX$269

-23.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 PGK 12.58

$1.76 MX$30.39

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PGK 16.65

$3.60 MX$62.2

6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$0.38 MX$6.62

23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.77 PGK 104

$19.18 MX$332

23.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PGK 25.52

$1.38 MX$23.79

323.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.49

$0.28 MX$4.78

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 PGK 71.9

$5.45 MX$94.2

202.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 4.99

$1.30 MX$22.55

-12.31%

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

$22.9K PGK 99.9K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

22.61%

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

$24.6K PGK 107.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

6.36%

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

$105 PGK 458

$40.86 MX$707

156.78%

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

$46.75 PGK 204

$26.81 MX$464

74.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,667

$29.96 MX$518

1175.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 PGK 293

$52.0 MX$900

29.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 PGK 89.9

$26.84 MX$464

-23.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 PGK 42.44

$6.30 MX$109

54.44%

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

$639 PGK 2,787

$436 MX$7,544

46.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,095 PGK 17.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-60.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.07 PGK 136

$56.7 MX$980

-45.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 PGK 160

$44.38 MX$768

-17.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 PGK 336

$103 MX$1,780

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 PGK 430

$106 MX$1,825

-6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 PGK 9,380

$1,022 MX$17.7K

110.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 PGK 2,096

$631 MX$10.9K

-23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 PGK 14.9K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 PGK 3,603

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,127 PGK 9,275

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-45.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,892 PGK 17.0K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

88.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 PGK 1,945

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-60.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

11.34

17.55%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,151 in Port Moresby and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Port Moresby vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $288, with Mexico City 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby and Mexico City differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,689 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 150% 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 $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 24% less than in Port Moresby. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $639 in Port Moresby versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,689 in Port Moresby, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Port Moresby. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Port Moresby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.