Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and Papua New Guinea Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and Papua New Guinea

Name: Papua New Guinea
Address: PG

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $999 per month in Samoa vs $682 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,576 per month in Samoa vs $984 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Samoa vs $1,286 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

Samoa costs about 46% more than Papua New Guinea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Samoa and Papua New Guinea are more affordable than the global median – Samoa 25% lower, Papua New Guinea 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.7 WST 146

$7.87 PGK 34.40

582.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 WST 98.8

$47.75 PGK 209

-24.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 WST 38.35

$5.90 PGK 25.78

138.64%

Cappuccino

$2.51 WST 6.83

$2.31 PGK 10.10

8.66%

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

$2.10 WST 5.73

$0.89 PGK 3.91

135.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 WST 3.47

$0.75 PGK 3.27

69.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 WST 11.59

$2.84 PGK 12.43

49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 WST 9.54

$4.44 PGK 19.42

-21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 WST 5.00

$1.97 PGK 8.63

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 WST 2.10

$1.58 PGK 6.89

-51.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.76

$1.48 PGK 6.46

18.24%

Eggs

$4.11 WST 11.20

$3.89 PGK 16.98

5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.92 WST 2.49

$6.00 PGK 26.22

-84.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 WST 9.81

$6.63 PGK 28.98

-45.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 WST 22.41

$9.04 PGK 39.52

-9.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 WST 13.45

$4.07 PGK 17.79

21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 4.97

$2.74 PGK 11.99

-33.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.95

$4.91 PGK 21.47

-62.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 WST 11.74

$4.00 PGK 17.50

7.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 WST 9.49

$3.44 PGK 15.03

1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 WST 2.99

$2.49 PGK 10.88

-55.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 PGK 12.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.25

$1.05 PGK 4.60

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 WST 16.46

$6.54 PGK 28.58

-7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 WST 44.39

$11.23 PGK 49.08

45.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 WST 4.91

$2.52 PGK 11.01

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 WST 9.51

$3.53 PGK 15.43

-1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.52

$0.50 PGK 2.20

598.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 PGK 122

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 WST 14.91

$5.28 PGK 23.09

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 PGK 10.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.53 WST 58.7

$16.94 PGK 74.1

27.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.84

$1.11 PGK 4.85

-6.31%

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

$24.0K PGK 104.9K

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

$31.3K PGK 136.6K

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

$17.93 WST 48.84

$102 PGK 448

-82.49%

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

$17.66 WST 48.10

$48.00 PGK 210

-63.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 WST 97.4

$213 PGK 930

-83.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 PGK 271

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.34 PGK 53.9

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 PGK 42.74

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

$434 PGK 1,898

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,128 PGK 18.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 WST 139

$35.81 PGK 157

42.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 WST 108

$35.50 PGK 155

11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 WST 207

$68.5 PGK 299

11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 WST 271

$66.6 PGK 291

49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 WST 958

$3,043 PGK 13.3K

-88.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 WST 408

$473 PGK 2,066

-68.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 WST 1,925

$3,230 PGK 14.1K

-78.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 WST 3,091

$731 PGK 3,196

55.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,143 PGK 9,369

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,963 PGK 17.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PGK 1,868

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.75

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

Last update for Samoa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: June 2, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 17% more in Samoa.

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

Samoa vs Papua New Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Papua New Guinea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 18% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Samoa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Samoa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Papua New Guinea, contributing to the overall 18% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Papua New Guinea, but in Samoa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Papua New Guinea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.