Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cromwell and Palikir

For one person, living is cheaper in Palikir: $1,035 a month against $1,877 in Cromwell, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cromwell outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

91

Cost of Living Index in Cromwell
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Cromwell Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Palikir
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Palikir Living Index

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Cromwell

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,877

/mo nomad

Palikir

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cromwell and in Palikir

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,877 in Cromwell versus $1,035 in Palikir.

Cromwell $1,877
Palikir $1,035

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,785 in Cromwell versus $1,586 in Palikir.

Cromwell $2,785
Palikir $1,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,692 in Cromwell versus $2,136 in Palikir.

Cromwell $3,692
Palikir $2,136

Living in Cromwell is roughly 81% more expensive than in Palikir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cromwell is 39% above, Palikir is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 NZ$24.33

$29.96 $29.96

-54.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 NZ$107

$45.50 $45.50

33.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 NZ$19.70

$6.06 $6.06

83.83%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.92

$2.99 $2.99

12.04%

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

$2.12 NZ$3.74

$1.13 $1.13

87.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.70

$1.98 $1.98

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 NZ$12.04

$1.02 $1.02

567.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 NZ$10.69

$2.03 $2.03

198.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 NZ$3.68

$0.22 $0.22

845.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.55

$2.22 $2.22

-9.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.98

$2.14 $2.14

-21.03%

Eggs

$5.70 NZ$10.08

$2.42 $2.42

135.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 NZ$15.10

$4.33 $4.33

97.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 NZ$16.54

$4.39 $4.39

112.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 NZ$28.69

$6.64 $6.64

144.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.28

$3.56 $3.56

-16.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.13

$2.47 $2.47

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NZ$5.51

$2.22 $2.22

40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 NZ$9.02

$3.02 $3.02

68.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.31

$3.30 $3.30

-43.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.28

$2.22 $2.22

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NZ$4.15

$1.94 $1.94

21.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$1.03

$1.12 $1.12

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.18 NZ$37.45

$18.15 $18.15

16.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NZ$15.73

$6.91 $6.91

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 NZ$5.68

$1.41 $1.41

127.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.10

$1.43 $1.43

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 NZ$3.07

$0.76 $0.76

127.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 NZ$166

$34.40 $34.40

172.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NZ$3.85

$6.33 $6.33

-65.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.31

$1.66 $1.66

12.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 NZ$50.2

$4.93 $4.93

476.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$3.07

$3.20 $3.20

-45.63%

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

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

$3,951 $3,951

530.77%

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

$25.1K NZ$44.3K

$3,951 $3,951

534.41%

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

$110 NZ$194

$39.27 $39.27

179.45%

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

$28.00 NZ$49.52

$15.02 $15.02

86.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NZ$90.2

$270 $270

-81.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 NZ$68.6

$40.34 $40.34

-3.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 NZ$11.95

$19.72 $19.72

-65.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 NZ$14.44

$7.09 $7.09

15.09%

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

$786 NZ$1,389

$116 $116

579.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K NZ$21.9K

$1,687 $1,687

632.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 NZ$105

$19.69 $19.69

200.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.50 NZ$62.8

$24.94 $24.94

42.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 NZ$163

$68.9 $68.9

33.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NZ$233

$54.9 $54.9

140.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NZ$1,690

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 NZ$1,434

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 NZ$2,834

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 NZ$2,244

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,811 NZ$8,509

$852 $852

464.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,361 NZ$5,944

$704 $704

377.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,917 NZ$5,159

$246 $246

1083.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

380000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Cromwell: October 11, 2026

Last update for Palikir: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cromwell

$811 43.2%

Palikir

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cromwell

$320 17.1%

Palikir

$213 20.6% 33.4% $107

Eating Out

Cromwell

$247 13.1%

Palikir

$315 30.5% 27.8% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cromwell

$189 10.1%

Palikir

$324 31.3% 71.8% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Cromwell

$143 7.6%

Palikir

$76 7.3% 47.1% $68

Getting Around

Cromwell

$112 6%

Palikir

$52 5% 53.6% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Cromwell

$55 2.9%

Palikir

$55 5.3% 1.1% $0.6

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

Cost Breakdown

Cromwell pays 1084% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Cromwell vs $46.00 in Palikir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $213 per month, with Palikir cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Cromwell

🇫🇲 Palikir

🕒 Local time

01:14 1:14 AM

23:14 11:14 PM

2 h behind Cromwell

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,000

6,942 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cromwell Palikir 5,880 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Cromwell
Palikir

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

Cromwell vs Palikir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palikir is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1084% higher in Cromwell, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Cromwell. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Palikir – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $61.0 in Cromwell. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,035 in Palikir versus $1,877 in Cromwell, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Palikir but tight or insufficient in Cromwell. The gap between the two cities makes Palikir 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, Cromwell and Palikir 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 Palikir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Cromwell. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.