Nomad Watch

Cairns vs Port Moresby

Cairns, Australia compared with Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: cost of living, scores, climate and more.

At a glance

At a glance
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Country Australia Papua New Guinea
Nomad score 6.1 / 10 2.7 / 10
Cost of living $4,343 / mo $4,281 / mo
Internet speed Data unavailable Data unavailable
Weather now 30° / 22°C 30° / 25°C
Air quality (AQI) 42 Good 44 Good

Climate averages

Yearly averages of monthly climate data

Climate averages
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Average high 28.3°C 29.3°C
Average low 21.3°C 23.3°C
Precipitation 192 mm / mo 151 mm / mo
Sunshine 302 h / mo 302 h / mo
Humidity 80% 83%
Rain days 13.8 / mo 17.7 / mo
Wind speed 16 km/h 17.7 km/h

AU Cairns · average high by month

PG Port Moresby · average high by month

Air quality

Air quality
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
US AQI 42 44
PM2.5 7.2 µg/m³ 7.1 µg/m³
PM10 11.1 µg/m³ 10.5 µg/m³
Ozone 39 µg/m³ 25 µg/m³
UV index 0 0

Business & Economy

Scores out of 10

Business & Economy
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Blockchain & Crypto Adoption 5.0 1.7
Local Payment Services 8.5 3.1
Startup Scene 4.0 2.1

Climate & Environment

Scores out of 10

Climate & Environment
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Air Conditioning 8.4 4.7
Green Spaces 8.2 4.0
Natural Disaster Risk 4.1 3.2
Noise Pollution 6.5 3.9
Seasonal Variety 4.1 3.7
Weather 7.5 5.6

Connectivity

Scores out of 10

Connectivity
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Mobile Network Coverage 8.6 4.6
Power Grid Reliability 8.5 3.6
Public WiFi Availability 5.8 2.1
VPN Reliability 8.3 5.3

Cost & Affordability

Scores out of 10

Cost & Affordability
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Accommodation Cost 3.3 2.1
Cost of Living 3.6 2.6
Currency Stability 8.9 2.6
Entertainment Cost 4.3 2.8
Food & Groceries 3.7 2.4
Gym Membership Cost 4.8 3.5
Transportation Cost 4.6 3.1

Culture & Entertainment

Scores out of 10

Culture & Entertainment
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Culture 6.6 4.5
Indoors Fun 5.1 2.6
Language Learning Opportunities 3.6 3.6
Local Experiences & Tours 8.6 3.5
Nightlife 5.6 2.3
Outdoors & Nature 9.5 5.7

Digital Nomad Community

Scores out of 10

Digital Nomad Community
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Nomad Events & Meetups 3.9 1.1
Nomad Friendly 5.8 1.9
Online Community Presence 3.7 1.6

Digital Nomad Essentials

Scores out of 10

Digital Nomad Essentials
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Cafes with WiFi 6.7 1.8
Coworking Spaces Availability 5.2 1.2
Digital Nomad Friendly Cafes 5.8 0.8
Digital Nomad Popularity 4.0 1.0
Internet Speed 7.6 2.3
Local SIM Card Availability 8.5 4.3

Food & Fitness

Scores out of 10

Food & Fitness
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Fitness Facilities 7.0 2.7
Food Scene 7.1 3.7
Healthy Food Options 7.5 2.9
Yoga Studios 6.9 1.6

Healthcare

Scores out of 10

Healthcare
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Healthcare 6.9 3.0
Healthcare Affordability 4.8 4.0
Healthcare Quality 8.1 3.0

Legal & Administrative

Scores out of 10

Legal & Administrative
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Digital Nomad Visa Availability 3.1 0.2
Ease of Business Registration 6.8 1.9
Ease of Opening Bank Account 5.8 2.2
Freedom of Speech 8.8 3.2
Political Stability 8.7 2.8
Tax Friendliness 4.4 2.3
Visa Ease 6.6 2.8

Quality of Life

Scores out of 10

Quality of Life
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Air Quality 8.7 4.7
Cleanliness 8.1 3.2
Environmental Quality 8.8 3.8
Family Friendly 8.1 2.2
Language Barrier 9.5 4.9
Work-Life Balance 8.2 3.5

Safety & Tolerance

Scores out of 10

Safety & Tolerance
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Female Friendly 8.3 1.9
Racial Tolerance 7.6 4.0
Safety 8.3 2.4

Transportation

Scores out of 10

Transportation
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Airport Connectivity 7.3 4.1
Cycling 5.6 1.5
Intercity Travel Options 5.8 2.2
Public Transit 5.3 2.0
Ride-sharing Services 6.6 1.3
Scooter/Bike Rental Availability 5.7 1.1
Walkability 6.8 2.2

Work Environment

Scores out of 10

Work Environment
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Coworking Quality 4.7 2.0
Freelance Ecosystem 3.9 2.1
Networking Opportunities 4.3 2.5
Remote Job Opportunities 4.4 2.5
Time Zone Favorability 6.4 6.1

Clothing

Local prices in US dollars

Clothing
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Jeans $95 per pair $51 per pair
Summer Dress $60 per dress $37 per dress
Running Shoes $130 per pair $104 per pair

Dining Out

Local prices in US dollars

Dining Out
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Dining Out $141 per month $93 per month

Entertainment

Local prices in US dollars

Entertainment
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Cinema Ticket $17 per ticket $6.94 per ticket

Food & Dining

Local prices in US dollars

Food & Dining
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Coffee $4.08 per cup $2.78 per cup
Beer $8.09 per pint $3.47 per pint
Meal (Inexpensive) $18 per meal $10 per meal
Fast Food Combo $12 per meal $8.10 per meal
Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) $95 per meal $58 per meal
Apples $3.80 per kg $4.17 per kg
Bread $2.96 per loaf $1.74 per loaf
Water (1.5L bottle) $2.18 per bottle $1.27 per bottle
Milk $1.72 per liter $2.66 per liter
Rice $2.39 per kg $1.62 per kg
Chicken Fillets $12 per kg $9.72 per kg
Beef $17 per kg $13 per kg
Wine (Mid-range) $17 per bottle $17 per bottle

Groceries

Local prices in US dollars

Groceries
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Groceries $387 per month $255 per month

Health Insurance

Local prices in US dollars

Health Insurance
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Health Insurance — $19 per month

Healthcare

Local prices in US dollars

Healthcare
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Doctor Visit (GP) $67 per visit $58 per visit
Pharmacy (basic meds) $13 per purchase $9.26 per purchase

Housing

Local prices in US dollars

Housing
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Apartment (1 bedroom) $1,513 per month $1,273 per month
Housing $1,232 per month $579 per month
Coworking Space $317 per month $278 per month
Airbnb (1 month) $3,378 per month $2,777 per month
Coliving Space $1,161 per month $926 per month

Internet & Mobile

Local prices in US dollars

Internet & Mobile
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Internet & Mobile $63 per month $46 per month

Leisure Activities

Local prices in US dollars

Leisure Activities
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Leisure Activities $106 per month $35 per month

Personal Care

Local prices in US dollars

Personal Care
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Haircut $32 per visit $15 per visit
Laundry $8.45 per kg $12 per kg

Services

Local prices in US dollars

Services
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Mobile Plan $39 per month $30 per month
Internet (60 Mbps+) $63 per month $104 per month
SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) $28 one-time $3.47 one-time
Gym Membership $60 per month $81 per month
Tennis Court (Weekend) $20 per hour $14 per hour

Transportation

Local prices in US dollars

Transportation
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Taxi Start $3.66 per trip $3.47 per trip
Transportation $113 per month $81 per month
Taxi per km $2.08 per km $2.31 per km
Monthly Transport Pass $102 per month $42 per month
Ride-hailing (5km) $14 per trip $10 per trip
Gasoline $1.51 per liter $1.06 per liter
Scooter Rental $39 per month $23 per month

Utilities

Local prices in US dollars

Utilities
AU Cairns PG Port Moresby
Utilities $155 per month $104 per month
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