Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Cook Islands and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,456 a month against $1,533 in the Cook Islands, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in the Cook Islands
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Cook Islands Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
Learn more

Pago Pago Living Index

Jump to prices

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,533

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,456

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: The Cook Islands is 1.3% more expensive than Pago Pago without rent, and 5.3% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: The Cook Islands is 5.7% cheaper than Pago Pago without rent, and 18.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 NZ$19.67

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 NZ$99.5

$36.18 $36.18

54.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 NZ$12.41

$10.07 $10.07

-30.88%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$6.16

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

$2.44 NZ$4.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NZ$4.30

$1.01 $1.01

138.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 NZ$9.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 NZ$8.87

$3.89 $3.89

28.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 NZ$4.07

$2.59 $2.59

-11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NZ$5.55

$2.82 $2.82

10.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$3.08

$4.20 $4.20

-58.81%

Eggs

$5.49 NZ$9.78

$4.63 $4.63

18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 NZ$15.99

$10.03 $10.03

-10.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 NZ$14.13

$9.83 $9.83

-19.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 NZ$17.70

$11.47 $11.47

-13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 NZ$5.08

$6.15 $6.15

-53.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.95

$1.02 $1.02

62.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NZ$6.01

$2.93 $2.93

15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.86 NZ$15.80

$4.02 $4.02

120.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.87

$3.92 $3.92

-30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$4.06

$4.06 $4.06

-43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 NZ$4.02

$1.98 $1.98

14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 NZ$5.09

$2.02 $2.02

41.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 NZ$19.94

$11.49 $11.49

-2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 NZ$22.05

$14.79 $14.79

-16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.88

$0.99 $0.99

233.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 NZ$8.36

$2.88 $2.88

62.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 NZ$5.01

$2.03 $2.03

38.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 $124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.31 NZ$34.40

$5.07 $5.07

280.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.83 NZ$60.3

$29.49 $29.49

14.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.46

$1.36 $1.36

42.65%

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

$11.2K NZ$19.9K

$29.7K $29.7K

-62.44%

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)

$104 NZ$186

$404 $404

-74.17%

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

$46.77 NZ$83.3

$30.11 $30.11

55.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 NZ$180

$76.3 $76.3

32.38%

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)

$689 NZ$1,228

$327 $327

111.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 NZ$1,265

$201 $201

252.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 NZ$692

$884 $884

-56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 NZ$1,106

$707 $707

-12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$945 NZ$1,684

$10.7K $10.7K

-91.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,914 NZ$6,974

$1,217 $1,217

221.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for the Cook Islands: October 5, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cook Islands

$710 45.3%

Pago Pago

$201 13.7% 71.6% $508

Groceries & Markets

Cook Islands

$368 23.5%

Pago Pago

$364 24.8% 1% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cook Islands

$252 16.1%

Pago Pago

$510 34.7% 102% $258

Eating Out

Cook Islands

$208 13.3%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9% 79.8% $166

Getting Around

Cook Islands

$31 * 2%

Pago Pago

$147 10% 382% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Cook Islands

- * 0%

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Cook Islands

- * 0%

Pago Pago

$136 9.3%

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

Good to know

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

23:47 11:47 PM

22:47 10:47 PM

1 h behind the Cook Islands

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,222

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

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

From you

Cook Islands
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

Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Cook Islands and Pago Pago

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Cook Islands

Pago Pago

Cook Islands

Pago Pago

Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared

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