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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,644 per month in Spain vs $694 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,400 per month in Spain vs $1,002 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Spain vs $1,310 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

Spain costs about 137% more than Papua New Guinea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 23% above the global median, while Papua New Guinea is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.01 €13.67
$7.79 PGK 33.95
105.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0 €50.4
$47.62 PGK 208
23.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 €8.77
$6.05 PGK 26.40
69.59%
Cappuccino
$2.29 €1.95
$2.37 PGK 10.35
-3.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.21
$0.86 PGK 3.76
201.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.55
$0.81 PGK 3.51
123.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 €3.01
$2.81 PGK 12.26
25.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 €3.44
$4.62 PGK 20.14
-12.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.06
$1.91 PGK 8.31
-35.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.30
$1.59 PGK 6.94
-4.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.37
$1.53 PGK 6.69
4.58%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.54
$3.86 PGK 16.83
-22.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.49 €12.38
$6.29 PGK 27.40
130.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 €7.14
$6.57 PGK 28.65
27.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.62
$8.83 PGK 38.49
80.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.17
$4.10 PGK 17.86
-38.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 €1.79
$2.75 PGK 11.97
-23.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 €1.76
$4.64 PGK 20.23
-55.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.25
$3.88 PGK 16.92
-31.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.58
$3.45 PGK 15.03
-46.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 €1.63
$2.49 PGK 10.87
-23.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.14
$3.02 PGK 13.15
-55.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.68
$1.07 PGK 4.64
-25.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.43 €5.49
$6.59 PGK 28.74
-2.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.82 €4.97
$11.48 PGK 50.0
-49.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.06
$2.54 PGK 11.08
-51.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.80
$3.50 PGK 15.25
-39.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 €1.45
$0.46 PGK 2.00
269.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.64 €29.58
$28.12 PGK 123
23.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.60 €3.93
$5.37 PGK 23.43
-14.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 €1.15
$2.53 PGK 11.04
-46.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.00 €23.06
$16.76 PGK 73.1
61.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.57
$1.12 PGK 4.90
64.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K €32.7K
$23.8K PGK 103.6K
61.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K €26.7K
$31.3K PGK 136.6K
-0.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 €129
$105 PGK 456
44.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.30 €17.34
$48.53 PGK 212
-58.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21 €28.36
$213 PGK 927
-84.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.38 €40.47
$62.4 PGK 272
-24.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.74 €13.44
$12.37 PGK 53.9
27.24%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06 €7.74
$9.33 PGK 40.68
-2.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$523 €446
$432 PGK 1,884
20.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,978 €8,521
$4,092 PGK 17.8K
143.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €74.9
$34.91 PGK 152
151.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.32 €31.87
$36.19 PGK 158
3.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 €75.8
$67.8 PGK 296
30.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €90.8
$66.9 PGK 291
59.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 €899
$3,145 PGK 13.7K
-66.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$809 €691
$474 PGK 2,066
70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,429
$3,179 PGK 13.9K
-47.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 €1,036
$709 PGK 3,089
71.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,487 €3,832
$2,652 PGK 11.6K
69.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,733 €2,334
$3,855 PGK 16.8K
-29.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,111 €1,803
$403 PGK 1,757
423.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
12.75
-72.47%

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

Last update for Spain: April 25, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $899 in Spain vs $1,963 in Papua New Guinea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,595 in Madrid and $2,200 in Port Moresby.

Average salary: $2,010 in Spain vs $297 in Papua New Guinea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 118% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 77% more in Spain.

Public transport is 313% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 577% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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
Spain vs Papua New Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Papua New Guinea more expensive than Spain?
Papua New Guinea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 155% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Papua New Guinea, contributing to the overall 155% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Papua New Guinea or Spain?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Papua New Guinea, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Papua New Guinea or Spain?
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.

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