Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,702 per month in Port Moresby vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Port Moresby vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Port Moresby vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Moresby costs about 36% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Moresby sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.38

$11.99 MX$210

-21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.47 PGK 213

$41.78 MX$731

16.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 PGK 25.84

$10.75 MX$188

-45.40%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.09

$3.50 MX$61.1

-34.57%

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

$0.80 PGK 3.53

$1.45 MX$25.33

-44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PGK 3.45

$0.88 MX$15.47

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.76

$2.95 MX$51.6

-16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.15

$4.51 MX$78.9

-8.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 PGK 8.51

$1.43 MX$25.04

34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 PGK 7.02

$1.84 MX$32.13

-13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.55

$1.57 MX$27.42

-5.10%

Eggs

$3.75 PGK 16.49

$2.51 MX$43.92

49.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.91

$8.28 MX$145

-45.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 PGK 27.35

$8.43 MX$147

-26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 PGK 42.96

$10.68 MX$187

-8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 PGK 17.90

$2.61 MX$45.62

55.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.44 MX$25.15

95.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 PGK 25.08

$1.96 MX$34.31

190.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 PGK 23.81

$2.09 MX$36.62

158.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 PGK 14.29

$1.85 MX$32.37

75.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 PGK 12.21

$2.17 MX$37.90

28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 PGK 13.55

$1.03 MX$18.04

199.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PGK 5.58

$1.07 MX$18.78

18.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 PGK 30.74

$4.10 MX$71.7

70.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 PGK 52.2

$10.17 MX$178

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.68 MX$29.29

67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PGK 16.84

$2.53 MX$44.17

51.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.20

$0.51 MX$8.90

-1.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.88 PGK 105

$26.04 MX$455

-8.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 PGK 26.85

$3.23 MX$56.5

88.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 PGK 10.73

$2.41 MX$42.06

1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 PGK 75.2

$3.23 MX$56.5

429.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.00

$1.32 MX$23.10

-13.64%

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

$22.3K PGK 98.2K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-24.85%

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

$24.9K PGK 109.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

5.07%

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

$108 PGK 475

$82.0 MX$1,434

31.52%

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

$47.63 PGK 210

$22.95 MX$401

107.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$377 PGK 1,657

$30.11 MX$527

1150.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 PGK 293

$52.0 MX$909

27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 PGK 91.1

$18.53 MX$324

11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 PGK 43.29

$4.98 MX$87.0

97.59%

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

$633 PGK 2,786

$197 MX$3,452

220.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 PGK 17.7K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-24.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.33 PGK 138

$35.60 MX$622

-11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.00 PGK 163

$40.33 MX$705

-8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 PGK 335

$78.8 MX$1,377

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 PGK 428

$88.9 MX$1,555

9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 PGK 9,694

$947 MX$16.6K

132.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,102

$474 MX$8,288

0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,447 PGK 15.2K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

109.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 PGK 3,694

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-30.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,188

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-48.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,904 PGK 17.2K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-39.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 PGK 1,932

$654 MX$11.4K

-32.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

11.42

16.73%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,203 in Port Moresby versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 49% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Moresby is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,702 in Port Moresby and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Port Moresby at $1,702. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Moresby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.