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 $1,002 per month in Samoa vs $677 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,533 per month in Samoa vs $982 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,063 per month in Samoa vs $1,287 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

The cost of living in Samoa is about 48% 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 25% lower, Papua New Guinea 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 145

$7.73 PGK 34.10

585.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 WST 97.3

$48.15 PGK 212

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.82 WST 37.92

$5.85 PGK 25.78

136.24%

Cappuccino

$2.54 WST 6.97

$2.30 PGK 10.15

10.43%

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

$1.99 WST 5.46

$0.90 PGK 3.95

121.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 WST 3.46

$0.75 PGK 3.29

68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 WST 12.12

$2.95 PGK 12.99

49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 WST 9.47

$4.59 PGK 20.23

-24.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 WST 4.95

$1.98 PGK 8.74

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 WST 2.10

$1.58 PGK 6.98

-51.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 WST 5.05

$1.51 PGK 6.65

21.85%

Eggs

$4.22 WST 11.58

$3.76 PGK 16.56

12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.85 WST 2.33

$6.32 PGK 27.85

-86.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 WST 9.98

$6.66 PGK 29.38

-45.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 WST 23.02

$9.15 PGK 40.37

-8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 WST 14.12

$4.06 PGK 17.89

26.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.01

$2.73 PGK 12.03

-32.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.01

$4.92 PGK 21.68

-62.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 WST 12.04

$4.02 PGK 17.74

9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 WST 9.90

$3.45 PGK 15.21

4.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 WST 2.87

$2.42 PGK 10.67

-56.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 PGK 12.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 WST 3.29

$1.07 PGK 4.71

12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 WST 16.86

$6.34 PGK 27.97

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 WST 44.57

$10.92 PGK 48.17

48.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.04

$2.62 PGK 11.56

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 WST 9.92

$3.55 PGK 15.66

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.63 WST 9.97

$0.47 PGK 2.06

672.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.26 PGK 125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 WST 14.54

$5.51 PGK 24.31

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 PGK 11.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.05 WST 57.8

$17.09 PGK 75.4

23.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 WST 2.87

$1.12 PGK 4.93

-6.25%

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

$24.1K PGK 106.4K

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

$30.8K PGK 136.0K

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

$18.13 WST 49.73

$101 PGK 446

-82.09%

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

$17.80 WST 48.83

$48.45 PGK 214

-63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.42 WST 99.9

$211 PGK 929

-82.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 PGK 278

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.44 PGK 54.9

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 PGK 43.23

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

$432 PGK 1,907

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,080 PGK 18.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 WST 136

$35.65 PGK 157

39.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 WST 112

$36.24 PGK 160

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 WST 206

$68.4 PGK 302

9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 WST 273

$65.9 PGK 290

50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 WST 954

$3,043 PGK 13.4K

-88.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 WST 412

$474 PGK 2,092

-68.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 WST 1,948

$3,153 PGK 13.9K

-77.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 WST 3,229

$713 PGK 3,143

65.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 PGK 9,207

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,779 PGK 16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 PGK 1,852

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: July 21, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 20% 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 19% 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 19% 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.