Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,702 in Port Moresby versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,442 in Port Moresby versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,181 in Port Moresby versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Port Moresby is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 27% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 PGK 41.38

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

172.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.47 PGK 213

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

49.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 PGK 25.84

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

21.28%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.09

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-16.73%

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

$0.80 PGK 3.53

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PGK 3.45

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.76

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.15

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

7.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 PGK 8.51

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

10.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 PGK 7.02

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-34.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.55

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

27.35%

Eggs

$3.75 PGK 16.49

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

54.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 PGK 19.91

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-68.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 PGK 27.35

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

42.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 PGK 42.96

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 PGK 17.90

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

9.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

73.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 PGK 25.08

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

108.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 PGK 23.81

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

141.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 PGK 14.29

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

69.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 PGK 12.21

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

21.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 PGK 13.55

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

190.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PGK 5.58

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

76.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 PGK 30.74

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

112.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 PGK 52.2

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 PGK 12.39

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PGK 16.84

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

40.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.20

$0.27 Rp 4,765

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.88 PGK 105

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

194.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 PGK 26.85

$0.48 Rp 8,636

1170.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 PGK 10.73

$0.42 Rp 7,511

480.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 PGK 75.2

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

174.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 5.00

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

40.74%

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

$22.3K PGK 98.2K

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

-16.13%

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

$24.9K PGK 109.4K

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-22.76%

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

$108 PGK 475

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

37.66%

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

$47.63 PGK 210

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

1070.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$377 PGK 1,657

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

1447.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 PGK 293

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 PGK 91.1

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

226.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 PGK 43.29

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

146.62%

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

$633 PGK 2,786

$305 Rp 5.5M

107.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 PGK 17.7K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.33 PGK 138

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.00 PGK 163

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 PGK 335

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-12.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 PGK 428

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 PGK 9,694

$992 Rp 17.7M

122.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 PGK 2,102

$673 Rp 12.0M

-28.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,447 PGK 15.2K

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 PGK 3,694

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-59.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,188

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-25.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,904 PGK 17.2K

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

75.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 PGK 1,932

$167 Rp 3.0M

162.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

13.28

0.38%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,203 in Port Moresby and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Moresby pays 163% 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: $48.00 in Port Moresby vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $297 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Port Moresby. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 163% higher in Port Moresby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,203 in Port Moresby versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Port Moresby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $48.00 in Port Moresby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,702 in Port Moresby, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Port Moresby. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Port Moresby and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Port Moresby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.