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: $1,702 in Port Moresby versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,442 in Port Moresby versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,181 in Port Moresby versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Moresby is roughly 17% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 27% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.38

$13.07 MX$229

-28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.47 PGK 213

$53.8 MX$940

-9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 PGK 25.84

$9.68 MX$169

-39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.09

$3.74 MX$65.4

-38.77%

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

$0.80 PGK 3.53

$1.62 MX$28.25

-50.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PGK 3.45

$1.16 MX$20.31

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.76

$3.23 MX$56.4

-24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.15

$4.74 MX$82.9

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 PGK 8.51

$1.65 MX$28.80

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 PGK 7.02

$2.75 MX$48.15

-41.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.55

$1.87 MX$32.77

-20.32%

Eggs

$3.75 PGK 16.49

$2.50 MX$43.72

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.91

$10.20 MX$178

-55.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 PGK 27.35

$8.25 MX$144

-24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 PGK 42.96

$11.82 MX$207

-17.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 PGK 17.90

$3.01 MX$52.6

35.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.81 MX$31.67

55.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 PGK 25.08

$2.00 MX$34.96

185.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 PGK 23.81

$2.00 MX$34.89

170.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 PGK 14.29

$2.08 MX$36.45

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 PGK 12.21

$2.27 MX$39.72

22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 PGK 13.55

$1.46 MX$25.47

110.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PGK 5.58

$1.08 MX$18.82

17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 PGK 30.74

$4.35 MX$76.0

60.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 PGK 52.2

$16.99 MX$297

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.73 MX$30.31

63.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PGK 16.84

$3.58 MX$62.5

6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.20

$0.39 MX$6.77

28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.88 PGK 105

$18.69 MX$327

27.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 PGK 26.85

$1.33 MX$23.18

358.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 PGK 10.73

$0.28 MX$4.89

771.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 PGK 75.2

$5.25 MX$91.8

225.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.00

$1.34 MX$23.37

-14.93%

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

$22.3K PGK 98.2K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

14.98%

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

$24.9K PGK 109.4K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

4.32%

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

$108 PGK 475

$40.69 MX$712

165.08%

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

$47.63 PGK 210

$26.87 MX$470

77.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$377 PGK 1,657

$30.51 MX$534

1134.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 PGK 293

$52.8 MX$923

25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 PGK 91.1

$26.65 MX$466

-22.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 PGK 43.29

$6.51 MX$114

51.15%

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

$633 PGK 2,786

$428 MX$7,485

47.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 PGK 17.7K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-61.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.33 PGK 138

$57.3 MX$1,001

-45.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.00 PGK 163

$45.50 MX$796

-18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 PGK 335

$104 MX$1,819

-26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 PGK 428

$108 MX$1,885

-9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 PGK 9,694

$1,003 MX$17.5K

119.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,102

$623 MX$10.9K

-23.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,447 PGK 15.2K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 PGK 3,694

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-31.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,188

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-46.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,904 PGK 17.2K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

92.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 PGK 1,932

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-57.70%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,203 in Port Moresby and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 136% 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 $306 vs $292, 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,702 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 136% 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: $2,203 in Port Moresby versus $1,003 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 28% less than in Port Moresby. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $633 in Port Moresby versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,702 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 17% less than in Port Moresby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.