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 $790 per month in French Polynesia vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in French Polynesia vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,583 per month in French Polynesia vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in French Polynesia is roughly 64% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

French Polynesia sits 41% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 CFPF 1,670

$15.97 A$22.66

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 CFPF 8,256

$79.0 A$112

0.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 CFPF 1,277

$9.68 A$13.74

27.48%

Cappuccino

$4.52 CFPF 468

$3.58 A$5.08

26.26%

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

$2.76 CFPF 286

$2.56 A$3.64

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CFPF 228

$2.22 A$3.15

-0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 CFPF 513

$6.34 A$8.99

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CFPF 516

$6.95 A$9.86

-28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 150

$1.56 A$2.22

-7.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CFPF 285

$2.53 A$3.59

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 CFPF 176

$2.00 A$2.83

-15.00%

Eggs

$7.20 CFPF 745

$4.26 A$6.05

69.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$39.16 CFPF 4,053

$8.75 A$12.42

347.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.80 CFPF 1,739

$8.23 A$11.68

104.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.82 CFPF 2,776

$14.15 A$20.08

89.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 CFPF 576

$3.26 A$4.63

70.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CFPF 245

$2.81 A$3.99

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.86 CFPF 710

$3.00 A$4.26

128.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.80 CFPF 807

$4.31 A$6.12

80.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 CFPF 313

$2.55 A$3.62

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CFPF 278

$2.16 A$3.07

24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.82 CFPF 395

$2.22 A$3.15

72.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CFPF 114

$1.53 A$2.17

-27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.14 CFPF 1,256

$31.28 A$44.38

-61.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.27 CFPF 2,512

$14.09 A$20.00

72.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CFPF 266

$4.44 A$6.30

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 CFPF 482

$4.90 A$6.96

-5.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 206

$2.95 A$4.19

-32.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.9 A$136

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 CFPF 1,033

$3.49 A$4.95

185.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.26 A$52.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 CFPF 157

$1.17 A$1.66

29.91%

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

$19.7K CFPF 2.0M

$28.7K A$40.8K

-31.35%

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

$28.6K CFPF 3.0M

$22.5K A$31.9K

27.48%

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

$179 CFPF 18.5K

$173 A$246

3.21%

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

$17.68 CFPF 1,830

$26.62 A$37.77

-33.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 CFPF 11.0K

$53.1 A$75.3

99.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 CFPF 7,583

$46.82 A$66.4

56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.52 CFPF 1,814

$16.38 A$23.25

6.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 CFPF 1,483

$13.56 A$19.24

5.60%

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

$485 CFPF 50.2K

$1,571 A$2,229

-69.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,864 CFPF 1.0M

$12.6K A$17.9K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 CFPF 10.3K

$72.1 A$102

37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.7 CFPF 8,762

$51.6 A$73.2

64.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CFPF 11.2K

$101 A$144

6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CFPF 11.2K

$108 A$153

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CFPF 135.1K

$1,398 A$1,984

-6.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 CFPF 112.2K

$1,086 A$1,541

-0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CFPF 217.6K

$2,272 A$3,223

-7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 CFPF 193.4K

$1,751 A$2,485

6.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,452 CFPF 874.8K

$7,955 A$11.3K

6.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,640 CFPF 790.8K

$5,978 A$8,483

27.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,931 CFPF 199.9K

$4,053 A$5,751

-52.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

6.35

-14.96%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: July 26, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $536 in French Polynesia vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,233 in Papeete and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,056 in French Polynesia vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 129% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 305% more in Australia.

Salaries are 85% 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 92% 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 92% 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.