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: $1,689 in Port Moresby versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Port Moresby versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,255 in Port Moresby versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Port Moresby is roughly 19% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 26% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 PGK 42.93

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

176.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.81 PGK 209

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

46.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.92

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.01

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-15.50%

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

$0.75 PGK 3.29

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-44.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 PGK 10.35

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 PGK 18.10

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 PGK 8.72

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 PGK 6.80

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 PGK 6.48

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

28.45%

Eggs

$3.89 PGK 16.95

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

58.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-69.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.97

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

48.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 PGK 40.72

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 PGK 17.34

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.62

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

85.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 PGK 24.34

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

97.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 PGK 24.67

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

142.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.81

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

78.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 PGK 11.70

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 PGK 12.89

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

193.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PGK 5.74

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 PGK 29.09

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

100.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 PGK 51.8

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-49.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 PGK 12.58

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PGK 16.65

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

33.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$0.27 Rp 4,800

74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.77 PGK 104

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

196.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PGK 25.52

$0.46 Rp 8,150

1171.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 PGK 10.49

$0.45 Rp 8,037

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 PGK 71.9

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

170.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PGK 4.99

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

44.30%

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

$22.9K PGK 99.9K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-12.38%

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

$24.6K PGK 107.3K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-23.41%

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

$105 PGK 458

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

31.25%

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

$46.75 PGK 204

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

1051.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$382 PGK 1,667

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

1525.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 PGK 293

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-31.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 PGK 89.9

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

211.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 PGK 42.44

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

134.46%

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

$639 PGK 2,787

$304 Rp 5.4M

110.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,095 PGK 17.9K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-38.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.07 PGK 136

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-44.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 PGK 160

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 PGK 336

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 PGK 430

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

26.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 PGK 9,380

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

113.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 PGK 2,096

$675 Rp 12.1M

-28.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 PGK 14.9K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 PGK 3,603

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-59.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,127 PGK 9,275

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-25.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,892 PGK 17.0K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

71.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 PGK 1,945

$165 Rp 3.0M

169.86%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,151 in Port Moresby and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Moresby pays 170% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $302 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 19% 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.

Port Moresby pays 170% more on average, 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: $2,151 in Port Moresby versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% 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 $33.00 versus $48.00 in Port Moresby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,689 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 $1,419 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 19% less than in Port Moresby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.