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 $1,642 per month in Spain vs $682 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,392 per month in Spain vs $992 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Spain vs $1,301 in Papua New Guinea, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 141% higher than in 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 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.06 €14.00
$7.63 PGK 33.65
110.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €49.57
$48.86 PGK 215
16.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 €8.98
$6.02 PGK 26.54
71.10%
Cappuccino
$2.32 €2.02
$2.43 PGK 10.72
-4.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.27
$0.91 PGK 4.02
185.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.60
$0.80 PGK 3.55
130.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €2.99
$2.94 PGK 12.95
16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.46
$4.67 PGK 20.58
-14.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.04
$1.91 PGK 8.45
-37.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.33
$1.52 PGK 6.68
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 €1.46
$1.45 PGK 6.38
15.17%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.60
$3.89 PGK 17.18
-23.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.58
$6.31 PGK 27.81
128.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.59 €7.49
$6.61 PGK 29.14
29.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.95 €13.91
$8.84 PGK 38.98
80.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.19
$4.01 PGK 17.67
-37.41%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 €1.81
$2.74 PGK 12.08
-24.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$4.80 PGK 21.17
-57.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.30
$3.99 PGK 17.61
-33.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.53
$3.42 PGK 15.07
-48.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.73
$2.47 PGK 10.91
-19.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$3.03 PGK 13.34
-55.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.65
$1.07 PGK 4.70
-30.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.27 €5.46
$6.60 PGK 29.13
-5.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.01
$11.21 PGK 49.44
-48.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.14
$2.56 PGK 11.29
-49.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.80
$3.45 PGK 15.20
-40.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.54
$0.46 PGK 2.04
284.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.49 €30.07
$28.55 PGK 126
20.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.49 €3.91
$5.41 PGK 23.87
-17.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 €1.15
$2.48 PGK 10.94
-46.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.12 €23.64
$16.96 PGK 74.8
59.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.57
$1.07 PGK 4.72
68.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.3K
$24.4K PGK 107.4K
56.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K €26.9K
$31.4K PGK 138.4K
-1.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €130
$102 PGK 452
45.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.14 €17.56
$48.82 PGK 215
-58.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50 €29.21
$211 PGK 929
-84.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.30 €40.37
$63.8 PGK 281
-27.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.61 €13.61
$12.19 PGK 53.8
28.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.40 €8.20
$9.67 PGK 42.64
-2.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 €455
$443 PGK 1,954
17.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,880 €8,613
$4,153 PGK 18.3K
137.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 €76.8
$35.58 PGK 157
147.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.98 €31.36
$35.79 PGK 158
0.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 €77.6
$67.4 PGK 297
31.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.2
$66.7 PGK 294
62.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 €906
$3,090 PGK 13.6K
-66.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 €715
$479 PGK 2,113
71.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,472
$3,199 PGK 14.1K
-47.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 €1,058
$727 PGK 3,206
66.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,301 €3,750
$2,075 PGK 9,154
107.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,604 €2,270
$3,803 PGK 16.8K
-31.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Papua New Guinea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,982 €1,728
$415 PGK 1,829
377.85%
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $1,985 in Papua New Guinea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,561 in Madrid and $2,194 in Port Moresby.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $315 in Papua New Guinea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 121% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 77% more in Spain.

Public transport is 313% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 531% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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 161% 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 161% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Papua New Guinea or in 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 to 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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