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

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $790 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,187 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,549 in China versus $1,583 in French Polynesia.

Living in China costs about 10% less than in French Polynesia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, French Polynesia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 ¥18.72

$16.13 CFPF 1,687

-82.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.05 ¥162

$79.8 CFPF 8,340

-69.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥31.93

$12.34 CFPF 1,290

-61.67%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.78

$4.52 CFPF 473

-31.86%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$2.76 CFPF 288

-84.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$2.20 CFPF 230

-86.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.80

$4.95 CFPF 518

-79.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

$4.99 CFPF 522

-58.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.39

$1.45 CFPF 151

26.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$2.75 CFPF 288

-41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$1.70 CFPF 178

-42.94%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.90

$7.20 CFPF 752

-77.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ¥90.1

$39.16 CFPF 4,094

-65.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.75

$16.80 CFPF 1,757

-79.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ¥72.2

$26.82 CFPF 2,804

-60.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.26

$5.57 CFPF 582

-67.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.44

$2.37 CFPF 248

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$6.86 CFPF 717

-78.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.73

$7.80 CFPF 815

-85.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$3.03 CFPF 317

-75.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.99

$2.69 CFPF 281

-66.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$3.82 CFPF 399

-84.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$1.11 CFPF 116

-52.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.93

$12.14 CFPF 1,269

-72.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 ¥79.3

$24.27 CFPF 2,537

-51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.23

$2.57 CFPF 269

-70.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.98

$4.65 CFPF 487

-64.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$1.99 CFPF 208

-79.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.24 ¥143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$9.98 CFPF 1,044

-86.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.52 CFPF 159

-22.37%

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

$19.8K ¥133.4K

$19.7K CFPF 2.1M

0.15%

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

$16.5K ¥111.7K

$28.6K CFPF 3.0M

-42.26%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$179 CFPF 18.7K

-71.08%

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

$10.09 ¥68.2

$17.68 CFPF 1,848

-42.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥76.9

$106 CFPF 11.1K

-89.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 ¥265

$73.3 CFPF 7,660

-46.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ¥100

$17.52 CFPF 1,832

-15.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ¥42.56

$14.32 CFPF 1,498

-56.01%

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

$414 ¥2,795

$485 CFPF 50.7K

-14.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$9,864 CFPF 1.0M

76.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 ¥316

$99.1 CFPF 10.4K

-52.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ¥223

$84.7 CFPF 8,851

-60.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥479

$108 CFPF 11.3K

-34.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$108 CFPF 11.3K

-31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ¥2,972

$1,306 CFPF 136.5K

-66.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ¥1,707

$1,084 CFPF 113.3K

-76.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,153

$2,102 CFPF 219.8K

-56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ¥3,584

$1,869 CFPF 195.4K

-71.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

$8,452 CFPF 883.7K

-43.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 ¥16.2K

$7,640 CFPF 798.8K

-68.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,144

$1,931 CFPF 201.9K

-45.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.4

-24.81%

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

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $536 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $909 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,233 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $857 in China, $2,056 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 87% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 11% more in China.

Salaries are 140% higher in French Polynesia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in French Polynesia.

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

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

At $873 per month in China and $1,147 in French Polynesia, there's a 31% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in French Polynesia is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in French Polynesia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.