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 $850 per month in Samoa vs $465 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,339 per month in Samoa vs $741 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,828 per month in Samoa vs $1,017 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

The cost of living in Samoa is about 83% higher than in 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 38% lower, Papua New Guinea 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$48.41 WST 131

$7.40 PGK 32.12

554.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 WST 101

$45.53 PGK 198

-18.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.49 WST 39.36

$5.70 PGK 24.74

154.21%

Cappuccino

$2.86 WST 7.77

$2.40 PGK 10.42

19.17%

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

$1.85 WST 5.03

$0.80 PGK 3.49

131.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 WST 3.67

$0.69 PGK 3.00

95.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 WST 9.17

$2.62 PGK 11.38

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 WST 10.16

$4.08 PGK 17.69

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 WST 5.09

$1.95 PGK 8.46

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 WST 2.34

$1.47 PGK 6.38

-41.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 WST 4.89

$1.42 PGK 6.17

26.76%

Eggs

$4.38 WST 11.89

$3.73 PGK 16.18

17.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.91 WST 2.46

$6.29 PGK 27.29

-85.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 WST 9.81

$5.80 PGK 25.15

-37.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 WST 22.52

$9.15 PGK 39.72

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 WST 13.76

$3.98 PGK 17.27

27.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 WST 5.07

$3.38 PGK 14.67

-44.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 WST 4.93

$5.94 PGK 25.78

-69.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 WST 12.30

$5.05 PGK 21.91

-10.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 WST 9.69

$3.73 PGK 16.19

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 WST 3.05

$2.51 PGK 10.88

-55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 PGK 7.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.22

$1.02 PGK 4.44

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 WST 17.08

$6.15 PGK 26.70

2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 WST 44.63

$11.01 PGK 47.80

49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.00

$2.81 PGK 12.20

-34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 WST 9.84

$3.71 PGK 16.11

-2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 WST 9.66

$0.47 PGK 2.04

657.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.44 PGK 115

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 WST 15.22

$5.20 PGK 22.56

7.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.35 WST 14.52

$2.28 PGK 9.90

134.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 WST 59.6

$14.84 PGK 64.4

47.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 WST 3.02

$1.02 PGK 4.43

8.82%

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

$22.2K PGK 96.3K

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

$23.4K PGK 101.4K

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

$18.56 WST 50.4

$96.6 PGK 419

-80.79%

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

$18.19 WST 49.39

$27.50 PGK 119

-33.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.36 WST 101

$118 PGK 514

-68.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 PGK 288

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.17 PGK 87.5

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 PGK 38.21

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

$536 PGK 2,326

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,649 PGK 24.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.70 PGK 159

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.22 PGK 136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 PGK 298

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 PGK 403

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 PGK 7,181

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 PGK 1,996

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,644 PGK 11.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 WST 4,929

$1,086 PGK 4,713

67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,080 PGK 9,028

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,753 PGK 16.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 PGK 1,829

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.67

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

Last update for Samoa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: September 6, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 95% 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 13% 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 13% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 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.