Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Avarua and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,456 a month against $1,609 in Avarua, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Avarua 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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Avarua

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,609

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Avarua 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 Avarua and in Pago Pago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,609 per month in Avarua vs $1,456 in Pago Pago, rent included.

Avarua $1,609
Pago Pago $1,456

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Avarua vs $2,262 in Pago Pago, rent included.

Avarua $1,634
Pago Pago $2,262

A family of three spends $1,658 per month in Avarua vs $3,068 in Pago Pago, rent included.

Avarua $1,658
Pago Pago $3,068

Avarua costs about 11% more than Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Avarua and Pago Pago sit above the global median – Avarua by 20%, Pago Pago by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 NZ$20.08

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 NZ$99.5

$36.18 $36.18

54.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 NZ$15.42

$10.07 $10.07

-14.10%

Cappuccino

$3.11 NZ$5.53

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

$2.22 NZ$3.95

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NZ$3.94

$1.01 $1.01

118.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 NZ$9.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NZ$7.56

$3.89 $3.89

9.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.93

$2.59 $2.59

-36.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 NZ$6.00

$2.82 $2.82

19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$3.08

$4.20 $4.20

-58.81%

Eggs

$4.84 NZ$8.63

$4.63 $4.63

4.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 NZ$19.81

$10.03 $10.03

10.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 NZ$14.18

$9.83 $9.83

-19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 NZ$17.66

$11.47 $11.47

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 NZ$5.03

$6.15 $6.15

-54.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.91

$1.02 $1.02

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NZ$5.88

$2.93 $2.93

12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.16 NZ$16.33

$4.02 $4.02

127.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.86

$3.92 $3.92

-30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.87

$4.06 $4.06

-46.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.90

$1.98 $1.98

10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$5.02

$2.02 $2.02

39.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 $11.49

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 NZ$24.99

$14.79 $14.79

-5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NZ$7.56

$2.88 $2.88

47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.96

$2.03 $2.03

36.95%

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)

$2.17 NZ$3.86

$1.36 $1.36

59.56%

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)

$111 NZ$197

$404 $404

-72.60%

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

$30.11 $30.11

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

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)

$934 NZ$1,665

$327 $327

186.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 NZ$1,686

$201 $201

370.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 NZ$201

$884 $884

-87.22%

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)

$940 NZ$1,676

$10.7K $10.7K

-91.19%

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 Avarua: 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

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$510 34.7%

Groceries & Markets

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$364 24.8%

Accommodation & Living

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$201 13.7%

Getting Around

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$147 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$136 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Eating Out

Avarua

–

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $934 in Avarua versus $327 in Pago Pago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Avarua versus $36.00 in Pago Pago. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Avarua vs $364 in Pago Pago – so Avarua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇰 Avarua

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

02:50 2:50 AM

1 h behind Avarua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,000 Capital

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.501 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

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 = 0.501 EUR).

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

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Avarua Pago Pago 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Avarua
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

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

Avarua costs about 11% more than Pago Pago, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,414 per month in Avarua and $2,184 in Pago Pago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pago Pago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,609 in Avarua and $1,456 in Pago Pago. That's a gap of about 11%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Avarua – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pago Pago, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Avarua at $1,609. In Pago Pago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Avarua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pago Pago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pago Pago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Avarua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.