Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Moresby and Wellington

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,532 a month against $2,342 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index

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Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,532

/mo nomad

Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,342

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Moresby and in Wellington

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Moresby and in Wellington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,532 in Port Moresby versus $2,342 in Wellington.

Port Moresby $1,532
Wellington $2,342

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,418 in Port Moresby versus $3,316 in Wellington.

Port Moresby $2,418
Wellington $3,316

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Port Moresby versus $4,291 in Wellington.

Port Moresby $3,305
Wellington $4,291

Living in Port Moresby costs roughly 35% less than in Wellington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Moresby 14% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 PGK 33.99

$13.89 NZ$24.74

-44.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.89 PGK 192

$64.2 NZ$114

-31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PGK 23.59

$8.95 NZ$15.95

-39.89%

Cappuccino

$2.44 PGK 10.69

$3.29 NZ$5.86

-25.84%

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

$0.77 PGK 3.38

$2.35 NZ$4.19

-67.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PGK 2.95

$1.67 NZ$2.97

-59.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 PGK 12.74

$7.24 NZ$12.90

-59.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PGK 15.60

$6.75 NZ$12.03

-47.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PGK 7.97

$1.90 NZ$3.38

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 PGK 6.74

$2.15 NZ$3.83

-28.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 PGK 6.09

$1.82 NZ$3.24

-23.63%

Eggs

$3.62 PGK 15.86

$6.73 NZ$11.99

-46.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 PGK 37.85

$9.05 NZ$16.13

-4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 PGK 24.56

$9.54 NZ$17.01

-41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 PGK 43.47

$15.30 NZ$27.27

-35.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 PGK 18.45

$3.16 NZ$5.64

33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 PGK 13.67

$2.23 NZ$3.98

39.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.01 PGK 30.72

$2.97 NZ$5.28

136.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 PGK 28.75

$6.33 NZ$11.27

3.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 PGK 14.92

$2.06 NZ$3.67

65.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 PGK 12.79

$1.24 NZ$2.20

135.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 PGK 10.21

$1.99 NZ$3.55

17.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 PGK 5.64

$1.19 NZ$2.13

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 PGK 27.45

$25.37 NZ$45.20

-75.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 PGK 47.05

$11.37 NZ$20.26

-5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 PGK 11.11

$3.17 NZ$5.65

-19.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PGK 15.39

$2.76 NZ$4.92

27.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 PGK 1.86

$2.74 NZ$4.88

-84.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.95 PGK 96.2

$102 NZ$182

-78.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 PGK 23.79

$1.82 NZ$3.24

198.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 PGK 9.87

$1.77 NZ$3.16

27.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.47 PGK 67.8

$33.17 NZ$59.1

-53.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PGK 4.13

$1.83 NZ$3.26

-48.63%

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

$49.2K PGK 215.6K

$25.6K NZ$45.7K

91.93%

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

$17.3K PGK 75.6K

$25.4K NZ$45.3K

-32.12%

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

$117 PGK 513

$199 NZ$354

-41.07%

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

$22.67 PGK 99.4

$32.79 NZ$58.4

-30.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 PGK 400

$53.5 NZ$95.3

70.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 PGK 264

$38.58 NZ$68.8

56.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.04 PGK 96.6

$16.40 NZ$29.22

34.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 PGK 38.31

$12.14 NZ$21.64

-28.01%

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

$836 PGK 3,665

$1,036 NZ$1,847

-19.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,242 PGK 27.4K

$12.9K NZ$22.9K

-51.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.86 PGK 144

$78.4 NZ$140

-58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 PGK 139

$28.23 NZ$50.3

12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 PGK 595

$103 NZ$184

31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 PGK 702

$155 NZ$276

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 PGK 6,912

$1,228 NZ$2,187

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 PGK 2,414

$1,139 NZ$2,030

-51.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,049 PGK 13.4K

$2,171 NZ$3,869

40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 PGK 4,946

$1,670 NZ$2,975

-32.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,035 PGK 8,918

$6,719 NZ$12.0K

-69.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,755 PGK 16.5K

$3,505 NZ$6,246

7.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 PGK 1,882

$2,818 NZ$5,022

-84.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

5.39

125.79%

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

Last update for Port Moresby: October 6, 2026

Last update for Wellington: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Moresby

$551 36.3%

Wellington

$1.1K 48.3% 107% $589

Groceries & Markets

Port Moresby

$320 21.1%

Wellington

$343 14.5% 7.3% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Moresby

$231 15.2%

Wellington

$285 12.1% 23.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Port Moresby

$162 10.7%

Wellington

$164 7% 1.2% $1.9

Eating Out

Port Moresby

$135 8.9%

Wellington

$243 10.3% 80.3% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Port Moresby

$78 5.1%

Wellington

$63 2.7% 19.1% $15

Getting Around

Port Moresby

$40 2.7%

Wellington

$124 5.2% 206% $83

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,577 in Port Moresby and $1,228 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 556% 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: $44.00 in Port Moresby vs $64.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $343 per month, with Port Moresby cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🇳🇿 Wellington

🕒 Local time

12:04 12:04 PM

15:04 3:04 PM

3 h ahead of Port Moresby

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,145 Capital

215,900 Capital

💱 Currency

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to PGK – Papua New Guinean Kina Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.92 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

USD to PGK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Port Moresby Wellington 4,460 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Port Moresby
Wellington

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Wellington. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Port Moresby the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 556% lower in Wellington. 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: $1,577 in Port Moresby versus $1,228 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Moresby – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $64.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,532 in Port Moresby versus $2,342 in Wellington, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Port Moresby delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,532 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Port Moresby hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Port Moresby and Wellington 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 Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.