Cost of living in Papua New Guinea - 2017

Hello! My name is Elizabeth and my husband and I live in Lae. These are my answers to the questions listed.

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Papua New Guinea? 
- A standard 3 bedroom, fully furnished apartment with 1 master bedroom could set you back about 9K to 11K kina which is approximately USD2700 to USD3300

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
- Buses running within the town areas or at least a 3 mile radius in and around the town areas would cost you about 70 toea to 1 kina. Approximately 20 cents or 30 cents (USD). There are only buses and PMV trucks in Lae. No trains, subway or trams.

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
- I just did my shopping over the weekend so I have prices from a supermarket that I frequent. This supermarket normally has the cheapest prices.
Bread - K5.50 (Large, white slice)
Rice (10kg) - K42.80
Pasta (500g) - K7.80

>What is your monthly grocery budget?
- Pantry, fridge, vegetables, fruit, water and snacks would set my husband and I back at least K1000 per month and that's on a budget. We buy water every month because the tap water has too much chlorine to drink.

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Papua New Guinea ? 
- The consultation fee is anywhere from K50 to K100 and that depends on the specialist you're going to see. I've had several procedures done to my teeth and in 3 trips  (fillings, extraction and root canal included), I have paid a total of about K3000.

> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
- My husband and I don't have children but when we do, the company my husband works for will pay for the school fees. My friends who do have children attending the International schools in Lae have mentioned that fees are upwards of K15,000 (USD4612) per annum. I haven't confirmed this so it would be great if anyone could clarify this figure.

> How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank?
- Fortunately for my husband and I, that is taken care of by the company. We don't fill the fuel ourselves for me to be able to give you an estimate.

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
- This as well is taken care of by the company. We don't pay our own bills but you do have an option of purchasing top up cards for your electricity so you can control how much you wish to spend per month. This option depends on the units you rent and if they have this system installed. A friend of mine has this in their house so I know a bit about it.

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
- My goodness! Internet is expensive. Over K900 for 16Gb! That was how much I remember was paid for our last Internet connection. We've since changed Internet companies and the rate is much cheaper and for unlimited and reasonably fast Internet. I'm not sure of the cost of the current package.

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
- I make home cooked meals every day. We don't or hardly eat out.

> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
- I've only had coffee out twice and a large cup would cost you about K6 to K9

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
There aren't any cinemas in Lae. In Port Moresby though, tickets are K30 per session or if they have special days then you'd pay about half the price. I've been to the cinema twice when visiting POM

> How much does a gym membership cost in Papua New Guinea? 
- If you live in a hotel apartment you can use the gym for free otherwise gym membership I've been told is about K1000 p/annum (this is for a couple/family) or you can use the facilities for K5 p/day.

I hope this has helped you in some way.

Kind Regards,
Elizabeth