Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Port Moresby

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Moresby: $1,469 a month against $1,980 in Timaru, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Timaru
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Timaru Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Port Moresby
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Port Moresby Living Index

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Timaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,980

/mo nomad

Port Moresby

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$1,469

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Timaru and in Port Moresby

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Timaru and in Port Moresby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,980 in Timaru versus $1,469 in Port Moresby.

Timaru $1,980
Port Moresby $1,469

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,925 in Timaru versus $2,315 in Port Moresby.

Timaru $2,925
Port Moresby $2,315

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Timaru versus $3,161 in Port Moresby.

Timaru $3,870
Port Moresby $3,161

Living in Timaru is roughly 35% more expensive than in Port Moresby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Timaru 47% above, Port Moresby 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 NZ$24.41

$7.76 PGK 33.97

77.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 NZ$110

$44.08 PGK 193

40.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 NZ$18.93

$5.61 PGK 24.55

90.73%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.95

$2.54 PGK 11.13

32.68%

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

$2.03 NZ$3.59

$0.74 PGK 3.23

174.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.20

$0.69 PGK 3.00

162.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 NZ$10.11

$3.03 PGK 13.28

88.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 NZ$10.81

$3.68 PGK 16.10

66.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 NZ$1.96

$1.83 PGK 8.02

-39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NZ$3.22

$1.50 PGK 6.55

21.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$1.36 PGK 5.97

-19.85%

Eggs

$5.69 NZ$10.06

$3.74 PGK 16.38

52.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 NZ$14.57

$8.93 PGK 39.08

-7.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 NZ$16.15

$4.94 PGK 21.64

84.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 NZ$28.89

$9.55 PGK 41.82

70.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.17

$4.41 PGK 19.31

-33.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.12

$3.27 PGK 14.29

-28.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.72

$7.28 PGK 31.87

-55.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$6.46 PGK 28.27

-19.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.30

$3.08 PGK 13.49

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$2.99 PGK 13.10

-40.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.98

$2.35 PGK 10.29

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 NZ$0.97

$1.33 PGK 5.82

-58.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.75 NZ$36.70

$6.51 PGK 28.52

218.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 NZ$9.96

$10.94 PGK 47.88

-48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.42

$2.70 PGK 11.83

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.09

$3.53 PGK 15.43

-66.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 NZ$2.91

$0.47 PGK 2.05

251.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.4 NZ$163

$22.74 PGK 99.5

306.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 NZ$4.04

$4.91 PGK 21.51

-53.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.68

$2.25 PGK 9.87

-7.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 NZ$48.90

$14.72 PGK 64.4

87.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.61

$1.00 PGK 4.38

48.00%

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

$24.8K NZ$43.9K

$50.7K PGK 222.2K

-51.04%

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

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

$17.3K PGK 75.9K

43.92%

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

$110 NZ$194

$118 PGK 516

-6.84%

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

$22.70 NZ$40.15

$20.84 PGK 91.2

8.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NZ$90.9

$82.2 PGK 360

-37.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.87 NZ$68.7

$61.7 PGK 270

-37.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 PGK 97.1

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 NZ$17.98

$8.80 PGK 38.51

15.57%

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

$579 NZ$1,025

$563 PGK 2,465

2.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NZ$30.3K

$6,239 PGK 27.3K

174.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NZ$105

$35.46 PGK 155

66.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 NZ$61.3

$33.95 PGK 149

2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$161

$69.7 PGK 305

30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NZ$234

$96.3 PGK 422

37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 NZ$1,550

$1,532 PGK 6,706

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 NZ$1,674

$564 PGK 2,470

67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 NZ$2,857

$2,874 PGK 12.6K

-43.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,670

$1,182 PGK 5,172

27.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,303 NZ$7,610

$2,085 PGK 9,129

106.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,018 NZ$5,337

$3,782 PGK 16.6K

-20.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PGK 1,870

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

12.17

-41.91%

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

Last update for Timaru: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Moresby: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Timaru

$946 47.8%

Port Moresby

$564 38.4% 40.4% $382

Groceries & Markets

Timaru

$297 15%

Port Moresby

$320 21.8% 7.7% $23

Eating Out

Timaru

$239 12.1%

Port Moresby

$138 9.4% 42.4% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Timaru

$184 9.3%

Port Moresby

$221 15% 20.1% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Timaru

$143 7.2%

Port Moresby

$106 7.2% 25.8% $37

Getting Around

Timaru

$112 5.6%

Port Moresby

$41 2.8% 63.5% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Timaru

$59 3%

Port Moresby

$79 5.4% 34% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $877 in Timaru and $1,532 in Port Moresby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Timaru vs $44.00 in Port Moresby. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $320, with Timaru cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Timaru

🇵🇬 Port Moresby

🕒 Local time

09:23 9:23 AM

06:23 6:23 AM

3 h behind Timaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,600

364,145 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.92 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Timaru Port Moresby 4,520 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Timaru
Port Moresby

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Timaru vs Port Moresby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Moresby wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Timaru. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Port Moresby the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,970 in Timaru and $2,203 in Port Moresby to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $877 in Timaru versus $1,532 in Port Moresby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Timaru pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Moresby – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $62.0 in Timaru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,469 in Port Moresby versus $1,980 in Timaru, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Moresby but tight or insufficient in Timaru. The gap between the two cities makes Port Moresby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Timaru and Port Moresby are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Port Moresby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Timaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.