Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Pohnpei

For one person, living is cheaper in Apia: $851 a month against $1,693 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index

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Apia

🇼🇸 Samoa

$851

/mo nomad

Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,693

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Apia and in Pohnpei

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Apia versus $1,693 in Pohnpei.

Apia $851
Pohnpei $1,693

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,281 in Apia versus $2,562 in Pohnpei.

Apia $2,281
Pohnpei $2,562

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,711 in Apia versus $3,431 in Pohnpei.

Apia $3,711
Pohnpei $3,431

Living in Apia costs roughly 50% less than in Pohnpei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apia is 36% below, Pohnpei is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$47.76 WST 133

$11.61 $11.61

311.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.89 WST 103

$45.19 $45.19

-18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 WST 40.39

$7.56 $7.56

91.93%

Cappuccino

$2.93 WST 8.15

$3.05 $3.05

-3.93%

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

$1.80 WST 5.01

$1.24 $1.24

45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 WST 3.88

$3.95 $3.95

-64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 WST 9.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 WST 10.20

$3.03 $3.03

21.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 WST 5.09

$0.25 $0.25

632.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 WST 2.34

$3.32 $3.32

-74.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.17

$3.06 $3.06

-39.22%

Eggs

$4.15 WST 11.55

$7.30 $7.30

-43.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.94 WST 2.62

$6.81 $6.81

-86.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 WST 10.21

$5.13 $5.13

-28.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 WST 23.92

$11.53 $11.53

-25.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 WST 14.54

$5.98 $5.98

-12.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 WST 4.99

$3.54 $3.54

-49.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 WST 5.21

$5.64 $5.64

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 WST 12.07

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 WST 10.29

$4.96 $4.96

-25.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 WST 3.10

$5.13 $5.13

-78.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.84 $3.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 WST 3.40

$1.02 $1.02

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 WST 17.55

$9.22 $9.22

-31.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.32 WST 45.41

$3.06 $3.06

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 WST 5.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 WST 10.24

$2.40 $2.40

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 WST 9.94

$1.02 $1.02

250.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 WST 14.84

$4.91 $4.91

8.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.42 WST 15.08

$1.20 $1.20

351.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.64 WST 60.2

$3.97 $3.97

445.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 WST 2.95

$3.66 $3.66

-71.04%

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

$18.16 WST 50.6

$137 $137

-86.70%

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

$18.40 WST 51.2

$40.46 $40.46

-54.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.53 WST 102

$201 $201

-81.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.69 $19.69

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.0 $51.0

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

$171 $171

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 $79.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 $68.6

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 $97.0

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 $610

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 WST 4,982

$1,211 $1,211

47.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$358 $358

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

360000

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

Last update for Apia: October 6, 2026

Last update for Pohnpei: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$610 36.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$378 22.8%

Groceries & Markets

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$295 * 17.8%

Eating Out

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$179 * 10.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$160 9.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2%

Getting Around

Apia

–

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9%

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $37.00 in Apia vs $45.00 in Pohnpei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $295 per month, with Apia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇼🇸 Apia

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🕒 Local time

19:07 7:07 PM

17:07 5:07 PM

2 h behind Apia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,000 Capital

34,486

💱 Currency

Samoan Tala WST T

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 WST = 0.359 USD

1 WST = 0.32 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to WST – Samoan Tala Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇼🇸 Samoan Tala (T)

Samoan Tala exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.78 WST (1 WST = 0.359 USD). 1 EUR = 3.12 WST (1 WST = 0.32 EUR).

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

USD to WST in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Apia Pohnpei 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Apia
Pohnpei

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

Apia vs Pohnpei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Pohnpei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,277 in Apia and $2,539 in Pohnpei 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.

All in, you'll spend $851 per month in Apia versus $1,693 in Pohnpei – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Pohnpei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Apia versus $1,693 in Pohnpei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Pohnpei. The gap between the two cities makes Apia 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, Apia and Pohnpei 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Pohnpei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.