Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Apia vs Port Moresby

Apia vs Port Moresby

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Apia 19% cheaper N/A / Low

Apia

Wilson Stratton/Unsplash

Port Moresby

Ganda Lukman/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$2,439

Apia

$3,024

Port Moresby

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Apia

Low

Port Moresby

Air Quality

5/5

Apia

5/5

Port Moresby

Healthcare

N/A

Apia

High

Port Moresby

Population

35.7k

Apia

254.2k

Port Moresby

Apia (Samoa) and Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) are both in Oceania, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Apia has a modest cost advantage at $2439/mo versus Port Moresby's $3024/mo, a 19% difference that adds up over a longer stay.

For families, Apia costs $2242.332589285714/mo compared to Port Moresby's $4745.320529735063/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Apia leads on internet connectivity at 6 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Port Moresby's 2 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Apia and Port Moresby share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Apia and Port Moresby.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Apia is July (around 29 degrees, 1mm rain, score 345), while Port Moresby peaks in June (32 degrees, 0mm rain, score 385). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

ApiaPort Moresby

Nomad$2,439/mo$3,024/mo

Expat$1,392/mo$1,843/mo

Local$641/mo$1,356/mo

Family$2,242/mo$4,745/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

ApiaPort Moresby

City Speed

6 Mbps

2 Mbps

Country Speed0 Mbps0 Mbps

Environment & Health

ApiaPort Moresby

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity7683

Quality of Life

ApiaPort Moresby

SafetyN/ALow

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Apia

Port Moresby

Jan

33°

6mm171

37°

2mm316

Feb

34°

9mm140

37°

2mm316

Mar

34°

3mm258

37°

8mm296

Apr

33°

3mm340

37°

3mm311

May

32°

3mm140

35°

1mm327

Jun

30°

1mm258

32°

0mm385

Jul

29°

1mm345

31°

0mm376

Aug

28°

0mm335

33°

0mm383

Sep

30°

1mm340

34°

1mm360

Oct

30°

2mm258

35°

1mm327

Nov

31°

8mm109

37°

1mm327

Dec

32°

3mm171

37°

5mm296

Who Should Choose Apia?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2242.332589285714/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 35.7k residents
Peak season in July — 29 degrees, score 345

Who Should Choose Port Moresby?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 254.2k residents
Peak season in June — 32 degrees, score 385

Overall Verdict

Overall, Port Moresby edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $3024/mo it runs 19% cheaper than Apia's $2439/mo, with 2 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Apia Port Moresby

ItemApiaPort MoresbyDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.63$9.84

53%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$32.46$48.61

33%

McMeal or equivalent combo$10.6$8.53

20%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.26$3.33

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$3.71$3.13

16%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.97$5.12

42%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.46$1.01

31%

Water (0.33L)$1.1$1.18

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.11$1.68

34%

White bread (500g)$1.23$1.53

20%

White rice (1kg)$1.11$1.53

27%

Eggs (12)$2.74$3.89

30%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.94$6.9

14%

Beef round (1kg)$9.81$7.88

20%

Local cheese (1kg)$16.35$5.69

65%

Apples (1kg)$2.45$3.27

25%

Bananas (1kg)$2.45$2.51

Oranges (1kg)$2.45$4.36

44%

Tomatoes (1kg)$9.28$2.84

69%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.71$2.56

33%

Onions (1kg)$1.85$2.56

28%

Lettuce (1 head)—$3.19

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.48$1.11

25%

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.27$9.1

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.13$2.68

21%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.59$4.03

36%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.56$7.11

22%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$2.22$0.57

74%

Monthly transport pass—$38.34

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.85$5.69

67%

Taxi per 1km$1.38$1.71

19%

Taxi 1hr waiting—$14.22

—

Gasoline (1L)$1.04$1.21

14%

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$45,519.2

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$26,553.63

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$556.06$107.05

81%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$110.84$379.33

71%

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.76

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$50.05$60.46

17%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.56$22.76

76%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.56$9.25

40%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$77.23$598.62

87%

International primary school/yr$2,224.24$3,911.81

43%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$51.79$53.34

Summer dress (chain store)$50.37$49.08

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$77.68$67.57

13%

Men's leather business shoes$103.57$113.09

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,112.12$2,162.16

49%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$315.1$519.2

39%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$926.77$3,366.52

72%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$667.27$960.17

31%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$9,246.09

—

Price per m², outside centre—$20,059.54

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$401.85

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$14.17

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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