Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and French Polynesia

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $783 in French Polynesia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $1,188 in French Polynesia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $1,592 in French Polynesia, rent included.

Australia costs about 179% more than French Polynesia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while French Polynesia is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 A$23.23

$15.90 CFPF 1,636

3.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 A$110

$81.6 CFPF 8,392

-4.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 A$14.05

$12.08 CFPF 1,243

-17.72%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.08

$4.49 CFPF 461

-19.82%

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

$2.68 A$3.78

$2.63 CFPF 270

1.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.02

$2.13 CFPF 219

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 A$9.23

$4.83 CFPF 497

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.96

$4.96 CFPF 511

42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 A$2.23

$1.51 CFPF 155

4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.57

$2.80 CFPF 288

-9.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 A$2.93

$1.63 CFPF 167

26.99%

Eggs

$4.30 A$6.08

$7.03 CFPF 723

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 A$12.76

$38.13 CFPF 3,921

-76.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$12.08

$16.45 CFPF 1,692

-48.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 A$19.72

$27.44 CFPF 2,822

-49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.49

$5.39 CFPF 555

-41.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$2.35 CFPF 241

20.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.17

$6.61 CFPF 680

-55.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.26

$7.73 CFPF 795

-42.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.47

$3.05 CFPF 314

-19.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.07

$2.74 CFPF 282

-20.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.24

$3.92 CFPF 403

-41.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.22

$1.16 CFPF 120

35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.87 A$43.61

$12.05 CFPF 1,239

156.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 A$19.86

$23.95 CFPF 2,463

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.43

$2.55 CFPF 262

78.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.80

$4.71 CFPF 485

2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 A$4.05

$1.95 CFPF 201

47.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.8 A$135

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.15

$9.56 CFPF 983

-61.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 A$2.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.27 A$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.57 CFPF 161

-26.75%

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

$28.4K A$40.1K

$19.5K CFPF 2.0M

45.40%

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

$23.0K A$32.5K

$29.0K CFPF 3.0M

-20.71%

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

$178 A$251

$183 CFPF 18.8K

-2.52%

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

$26.46 A$37.38

$17.42 CFPF 1,791

51.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 A$76.4

$106 CFPF 10.9K

-48.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.64 A$65.9

$73.2 CFPF 7,525

-36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 A$23.37

$17.87 CFPF 1,838

-7.44%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 A$19.28

$14.83 CFPF 1,525

-7.96%

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

$1,575 A$2,225

$484 CFPF 49.8K

225.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.9K

$9,615 CFPF 988.9K

32.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$98.7 CFPF 10.2K

-27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 A$71.8

$85.8 CFPF 8,828

-40.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$142

$108 CFPF 11.1K

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 A$1,955

$1,332 CFPF 136.9K

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 A$1,562

$1,090 CFPF 112.2K

1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 A$3,246

$2,093 CFPF 215.3K

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 A$2,441

$1,871 CFPF 192.5K

-7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,610 A$10.8K

$8,577 CFPF 882.2K

-11.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,504 A$7,776

$7,962 CFPF 818.9K

-30.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,002 A$5,654

$1,919 CFPF 197.3K

108.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.4

17.59%

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

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $539 in French Polynesia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,568 in Canberra and $1,243 in Papeete.

Average salary: $3,845 in Australia vs $2,100 in French Polynesia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 129% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 305% more in Australia.

Salaries are 83% higher in Australia, giving French Polynesia stronger purchasing power.

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

Australia vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

French Polynesia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 97% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in French Polynesia, contributing to the overall 97% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in French Polynesia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

French Polynesia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.