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: $1,520 in Port Moresby versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,391 in Port Moresby versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,262 in Port Moresby versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 11% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 PGK 33.55

$11.92 MX$205

-35.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.79 PGK 199

$51.6 MX$886

-11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 PGK 25.10

$11.41 MX$196

-49.34%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PGK 10.72

$3.99 MX$68.6

-38.10%

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

$0.75 PGK 3.24

$1.66 MX$28.48

-54.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 PGK 3.01

$1.33 MX$22.77

-48.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 PGK 13.30

$3.47 MX$59.6

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 PGK 16.05

$5.90 MX$101

-37.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PGK 8.18

$1.88 MX$32.21

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 PGK 6.63

$3.25 MX$55.9

-52.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 PGK 6.29

$2.16 MX$37.10

-32.87%

Eggs

$3.62 PGK 15.72

$2.90 MX$49.72

24.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 PGK 38.67

$12.86 MX$221

-30.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PGK 22.45

$10.05 MX$173

-48.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 PGK 39.54

$15.86 MX$272

-42.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 PGK 17.92

$3.29 MX$56.6

25.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 PGK 13.35

$2.01 MX$34.44

52.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 PGK 25.44

$2.20 MX$37.76

165.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 PGK 26.74

$2.36 MX$40.44

160.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 PGK 14.30

$2.05 MX$35.27

60.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 PGK 11.29

$1.90 MX$32.64

36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 PGK 9.09

$1.61 MX$27.55

29.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PGK 5.43

$1.40 MX$23.98

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 PGK 26.81

$5.46 MX$93.8

13.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 PGK 50.3

$17.65 MX$303

-34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 PGK 11.97

$2.06 MX$35.28

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 PGK 14.97

$4.68 MX$80.4

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PGK 1.89

$0.34 MX$5.81

26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.32 PGK 97.0

$20.81 MX$357

7.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 PGK 24.75

$2.10 MX$35.99

171.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 PGK 9.88

$0.56 MX$9.60

305.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.46 PGK 67.2

$5.81 MX$99.8

166.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PGK 4.32

$1.61 MX$27.56

-38.51%

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

$21.5K PGK 93.4K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

-5.89%

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

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-33.27%

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

$121 PGK 525

$65.2 MX$1,119

85.32%

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

$23.52 PGK 102

$30.09 MX$517

-21.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.5 PGK 410

$37.18 MX$638

154.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 PGK 265

$59.8 MX$1,026

2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.17 PGK 96.3

$26.55 MX$456

-16.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 PGK 40.02

$7.04 MX$121

30.82%

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

$855 PGK 3,714

$465 MX$7,976

83.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,169 PGK 26.8K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.67 PGK 142

$75.9 MX$1,303

-56.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.53 PGK 141

$56.0 MX$960

-41.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 PGK 595

$112 MX$1,920

22.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 PGK 716

$121 MX$2,068

36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 PGK 7,096

$1,103 MX$18.9K

48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 PGK 2,414

$721 MX$12.4K

-22.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 PGK 11.9K

$2,530 MX$43.4K

8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 PGK 5,018

$1,293 MX$22.2K

-10.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 PGK 8,879

$3,991 MX$68.5K

-48.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,781 PGK 16.4K

$2,090 MX$35.9K

80.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 PGK 1,863

$1,037 MX$17.8K

-58.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

11.3

7.70%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Port Moresby and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 142% 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: $46.00 in Port Moresby vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $345 per month, with Port Moresby cheaper across the board.

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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,520 vs $1,660 including rent). Port Moresby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 142% lower in Mexico City. 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: $1,633 in Port Moresby versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Port Moresby runs roughly 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $855 in Port Moresby versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,520 in Port Moresby versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby 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 Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.