Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arue and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Arue: $1,024 a month against $1,456 in Pago Pago, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pago Pago outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Arue

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$1,024

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arue and in Pago Pago

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Arue versus $1,456 in Pago Pago.

Arue $1,024
Pago Pago $1,456

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,521 in Arue versus $2,262 in Pago Pago.

Arue $1,521
Pago Pago $2,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,018 in Arue versus $3,068 in Pago Pago.

Arue $2,018
Pago Pago $3,068

Living in Arue costs roughly 30% less than in Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arue is 24% below, Pago Pago is 9% above.

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.18 $36.18

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 CFPF 150

$2.59 $2.59

-45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.65 CFPF 495

$2.82 $2.82

64.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CFPF 417

$4.20 $4.20

-6.67%

Eggs

$11.52 CFPF 1,227

$4.63 $4.63

148.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$56.8 CFPF 6,044

$10.03 $10.03

465.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.22 CFPF 2,792

$9.83 $9.83

166.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.11 CFPF 2,568

$11.47 $11.47

110.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 CFPF 570

$6.15 $6.15

-12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 CFPF 302

$1.02 $1.02

178.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.67 CFPF 816

$2.93 $2.93

161.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.70 CFPF 927

$4.02 $4.02

116.42%

Potato (1kg)

$4.19 CFPF 446

$3.92 $3.92

6.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CFPF 313

$4.06 $4.06

-27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.71 CFPF 395

$1.98 $1.98

87.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CFPF 153

$2.02 $2.02

-28.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CFPF 1,257

$11.49 $11.49

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.76 CFPF 3,063

$14.79 $14.79

94.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CFPF 308

$0.99 $0.99

192.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 CFPF 815

$2.88 $2.88

165.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 $124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K $29.7K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K $20.2K

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

$161 CFPF 17.1K

$404 $404

-60.21%

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

$30.11 $30.11

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$122 CFPF 13.0K

$76.3 $76.3

59.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.35 $49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.06 $10.06

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 $9.22

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

$989 $989

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,838 $9,838

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 $69.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 $327

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 $201

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 $884

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 $707

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K $10.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 $1,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arue: October 5, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$510 34.7%

Groceries & Markets

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$364 24.8%

Accommodation & Living

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$201 13.7%

Getting Around

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$147 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$136 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Eating Out

Arue

–

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9%

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

Good to know

🇵🇫 Arue

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

22:29 10:29 PM

21:29 9:29 PM

1 h behind Arue

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,000

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

CFP Franc XPF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.37 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 CFP Franc (Fr)

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.37 EUR).

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

USD to XPF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arue Pago Pago 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Arue
Pago Pago

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

Arue vs Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Pago Pago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,536 in Arue and $2,184 in Pago Pago 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.

Shoppers in Pago Pago pay roughly 107% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,024 per month in Arue versus $1,456 in Pago Pago – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,024 in Arue versus $1,456 in Pago Pago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Pago Pago. The gap between the two cities makes Arue 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, Arue and Pago Pago 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 Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Pago Pago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.