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

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in French Polynesia vs $2,509 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $950 per month in French Polynesia vs $3,641 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,287 per month in French Polynesia vs $4,772 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in French Polynesia is roughly 76% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

French Polynesia sits 55% below the global median, while Australia is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.40 CFPF 1,794

$18.16 A$25.61

-4.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 CFPF 7,854

$85.9 A$121

-11.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.50 CFPF 1,495

$10.87 A$15.33

33.39%

Cappuccino

$4.21 CFPF 434

$4.11 A$5.80

2.43%

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

$2.73 CFPF 281

$3.04 A$4.29

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CFPF 268

$2.47 A$3.48

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 CFPF 514

$7.87 A$11.09

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CFPF 615

$7.98 A$11.25

-25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 149

$1.73 A$2.44

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 CFPF 470

$2.78 A$3.92

64.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 CFPF 177

$2.38 A$3.36

-27.73%

Eggs

$7.18 CFPF 740

$5.08 A$7.17

41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.57 CFPF 3,770

$9.98 A$14.07

266.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.29 CFPF 1,680

$9.24 A$13.03

76.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.70 CFPF 2,547

$15.49 A$21.85

59.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 CFPF 540

$3.73 A$5.26

40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 CFPF 295

$3.02 A$4.26

-5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 CFPF 674

$3.23 A$4.56

102.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.84 CFPF 808

$4.88 A$6.89

60.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 CFPF 316

$2.87 A$4.05

6.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 260

$2.36 A$3.33

7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 392

$2.49 A$3.51

52.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CFPF 129

$1.68 A$2.36

-25.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CFPF 1,347

$38.51 A$54.3

-66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.43 CFPF 2,519

$14.25 A$20.10

71.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CFPF 311

$5.07 A$7.15

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 CFPF 400

$5.19 A$7.32

-25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 CFPF 198

$2.78 A$3.92

-30.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.78 CFPF 1,524

$94.8 A$134

-84.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 CFPF 1,025

$3.52 A$4.97

182.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 CFPF 262

$1.60 A$2.25

58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.22 CFPF 2,497

$40.42 A$57.0

-40.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CFPF 151

$1.27 A$1.80

14.96%

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

$19.2K CFPF 2.0M

$28.3K A$40.0K

-32.30%

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

$31.2K CFPF 3.2M

$28.6K A$40.4K

8.96%

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

$180 CFPF 18.6K

$202 A$285

-10.58%

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

$19.83 CFPF 2,044

$29.08 A$41.02

-31.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 CFPF 7,633

$59.6 A$84.0

24.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 CFPF 7,859

$59.3 A$83.6

28.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 A$28.38

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 CFPF 1,473

$15.75 A$22.21

-9.33%

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

$486 CFPF 50.1K

$2,197 A$3,099

-77.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,584 CFPF 988.1K

$18.2K A$25.7K

-47.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 CFPF 7,359

$79.3 A$112

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 CFPF 7,634

$57.2 A$80.7

29.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 CFPF 8,247

$114 A$161

-29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 CFPF 9,458

$125 A$176

-26.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 CFPF 131.0K

$1,581 A$2,229

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 CFPF 99.4K

$1,291 A$1,820

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CFPF 194.8K

$2,530 A$3,568

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CFPF 157.4K

$1,982 A$2,795

-22.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,309 CFPF 753.6K

$8,571 A$12.1K

-14.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,439 CFPF 973.1K

$6,120 A$8,631

54.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,908 CFPF 196.7K

$3,979 A$5,612

-52.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.93

-22.43%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: September 14, 2026

Last update for Australia: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $355 in French Polynesia vs $1,387 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,400 in Papeete and $1,829 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,087 in French Polynesia vs $3,903 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 291% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 282% more in Australia.

Public transport is 3850% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 87% higher in Australia, 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

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

French Polynesia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 91% 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 91% 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.