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

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in French Polynesia versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,188 in French Polynesia versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,592 in French Polynesia versus $1,551 in China.

Living in French Polynesia is roughly 10% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 42% lower, China 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.90 CFPF 1,636

$2.86 ¥19.36

455.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 CFPF 8,392

$23.29 ¥158

250.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,243

$4.83 ¥32.66

150.10%

Cappuccino

$4.49 CFPF 461

$3.04 ¥20.52

47.70%

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

$2.63 CFPF 270

$0.45 ¥3.03

484.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CFPF 219

$0.27 ¥1.81

688.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 CFPF 497

$0.99 ¥6.71

387.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CFPF 511

$2.03 ¥13.74

144.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 155

$1.75 ¥11.86

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 CFPF 288

$1.67 ¥11.31

67.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 CFPF 167

$0.97 ¥6.56

68.04%

Eggs

$7.03 CFPF 723

$1.54 ¥10.45

356.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.13 CFPF 3,921

$13.30 ¥89.9

186.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.45 CFPF 1,692

$3.21 ¥21.69

412.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.44 CFPF 2,822

$10.79 ¥73.0

154.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 CFPF 555

$1.81 ¥12.27

197.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CFPF 241

$1.31 ¥8.84

79.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.61 CFPF 680

$1.50 ¥10.15

340.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.73 CFPF 795

$1.14 ¥7.74

578.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CFPF 314

$0.73 ¥4.90

317.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CFPF 282

$0.87 ¥5.86

214.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.92 CFPF 403

$0.57 ¥3.85

587.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CFPF 120

$0.54 ¥3.63

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CFPF 1,239

$3.53 ¥23.88

241.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.95 CFPF 2,463

$11.71 ¥79.2

104.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 262

$0.84 ¥5.67

203.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CFPF 485

$1.67 ¥11.29

182.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 CFPF 201

$0.41 ¥2.75

375.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 CFPF 983

$1.36 ¥9.21

602.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 161

$1.12 ¥7.57

40.18%

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

$19.5K CFPF 2.0M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

1.69%

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

$29.0K CFPF 3.0M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

71.41%

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

$183 CFPF 18.8K

$51.8 ¥350

252.40%

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

$17.42 CFPF 1,791

$9.85 ¥66.6

76.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 CFPF 10.9K

$11.13 ¥75.3

848.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CFPF 7,525

$39.10 ¥264

87.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.87 CFPF 1,838

$14.89 ¥101

20.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 CFPF 1,525

$6.25 ¥42.24

137.28%

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

$484 CFPF 49.8K

$404 ¥2,732

19.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,615 CFPF 988.9K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-46.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 CFPF 10.2K

$46.11 ¥312

114.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.8 CFPF 8,828

$32.27 ¥218

166.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CFPF 11.1K

$72.7 ¥491

48.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$72.9 ¥493

50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 CFPF 136.9K

$445 ¥3,009

199.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 CFPF 112.2K

$255 ¥1,727

327.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CFPF 215.3K

$927 ¥6,266

125.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CFPF 192.5K

$532 ¥3,600

251.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,577 CFPF 882.2K

$4,943 ¥33.4K

73.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,962 CFPF 818.9K

$2,492 ¥16.9K

219.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,919 CFPF 197.3K

$1,057 ¥7,148

81.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

4.06

33.00%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: June 8, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $539 in French Polynesia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $1,243 in Papeete vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,100 in French Polynesia, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 88% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 11% more in China.

Salaries are 144% higher in French Polynesia, giving French Polynesia stronger purchasing power.

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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,124 in French Polynesia, there's a 29% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.