Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between American Samoa and Rarotonga

For one person, living is cheaper in Rarotonga: $1,099 a month against $1,449 in American Samoa, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

🇦🇸 American Samoa
$1,449
/mo nomad
Rarotonga
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
$1,099
/mo nomad
😐 Solo nomad: American Samoa is 36.3% more expensive than Rarotonga without rent, and 31.8% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: American Samoa is 36.1% more expensive than Rarotonga without rent, and 54.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$14.15 NZ$25.21
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.40 $36.40
$50.4 NZ$89.9
-27.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.12 $10.12
$5.69 NZ$10.14
77.86%
Cappuccino
-
$3.48 NZ$6.19
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.24 NZ$4.00
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.31 NZ$4.11
-57.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.02 NZ$8.95
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 $4.01
$4.96 NZ$8.84
-19.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.59 $2.59
$2.87 NZ$5.11
-9.76%
White Bread (500g)
$2.84 $2.84
$2.77 NZ$4.94
2.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
-
-
Eggs
$4.52 $4.52
$6.19 NZ$11.02
-26.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.38 $10.38
$7.48 NZ$13.32
38.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.07 $10.07
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.15 $11.15
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$5.97 $5.97
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$4.05 $4.05
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$3.92 $3.92
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 $2.05
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.34 $11.34
$11.18 NZ$19.92
1.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.71 $14.71
$11.23 NZ$20.01
30.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$3.48 NZ$6.21
-71.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 $3.02
$5.08 NZ$9.06
-40.55%
🚌 Getting Around
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$2.80 NZ$4.99
-29.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$125 $125
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.04 $5.04
$20.06 NZ$35.75
-74.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 $1.95
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.68 $29.68
$34.02 NZ$60.6
-12.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.74 NZ$3.10
-22.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K $30.2K
$11.2K NZ$20.0K
169.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K $20.2K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$415 $415
$100 NZ$179
312.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.64 $29.64
$47.47 NZ$84.6
-37.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3 $76.3
$104 NZ$185
-26.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.29 $49.29
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.81 $9.81
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.08 $9.08
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,005 $1,005
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,950 $9,950
$1,360 NZ$2,424
631.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 $70.0
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 $50.4
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.6 $81.6
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$329 $329
$445 NZ$793
-26.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$198 $198
$452 NZ$806
-56.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$886 $886
$684 NZ$1,219
29.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$704 $704
$624 NZ$1,111
12.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.0K $18.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.9K $10.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
American Samoa
Rarotonga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,197 $1,197
$3,906 NZ$6,961
-69.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
0
-

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

Last update for American Samoa: October 3, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
American Samoa
$521
Rarotonga
$251 51.7% $269
Groceries & Markets
American Samoa
$365
Rarotonga
$154 * 57.9% $212
Accommodation & Living
American Samoa
$198
Rarotonga
$452 129% $255
Getting Around
American Samoa
$148
Rarotonga
$31 * 78.8% $116
Clothing & Footwear
American Samoa
$137
Rarotonga
- * 100%
Sport & Entertainment
American Samoa
$67
Rarotonga
- * 100%
Eating Out
American Samoa
$42 *
Rarotonga
$225 432% $183

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know
🇦🇸 American Samoa
🇨🇰 Rarotonga
🕒 Local time
15:42 3:42 PM
16:42 4:42 PM
1 h ahead of American Samoa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,710
13,373
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • American Samoa Rarotonga 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • American Samoa
  • Rarotonga

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

American Samoa vs other spots: cost of living compared

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