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: $790 in French Polynesia versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,187 in French Polynesia versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,583 in French Polynesia versus $1,549 in China.

Living in French Polynesia is roughly 11% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, China 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 CFPF 1,687

$2.77 ¥18.72

482.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 CFPF 8,340

$24.05 ¥162

231.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 CFPF 1,290

$4.73 ¥31.93

160.89%

Cappuccino

$4.52 CFPF 473

$3.08 ¥20.78

46.75%

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

$2.76 CFPF 288

$0.44 ¥3.00

527.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CFPF 230

$0.29 ¥1.98

658.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 CFPF 518

$1.01 ¥6.80

390.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CFPF 522

$2.08 ¥14.03

139.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 151

$1.83 ¥12.39

-20.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CFPF 288

$1.62 ¥10.94

69.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 CFPF 178

$0.97 ¥6.58

75.26%

Eggs

$7.20 CFPF 752

$1.61 ¥10.90

347.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$39.16 CFPF 4,094

$13.34 ¥90.1

193.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.80 CFPF 1,757

$3.37 ¥22.75

398.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.82 CFPF 2,804

$10.68 ¥72.2

151.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 CFPF 582

$1.81 ¥12.26

207.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CFPF 248

$1.25 ¥8.44

89.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.86 CFPF 717

$1.46 ¥9.88

369.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.80 CFPF 815

$1.15 ¥7.73

578.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 CFPF 317

$0.73 ¥4.92

315.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CFPF 281

$0.89 ¥5.99

202.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.82 CFPF 399

$0.60 ¥4.05

536.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CFPF 116

$0.53 ¥3.59

109.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.14 CFPF 1,269

$3.39 ¥22.93

258.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.27 CFPF 2,537

$11.73 ¥79.3

106.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CFPF 269

$0.77 ¥5.23

233.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 CFPF 487

$1.63 ¥10.98

185.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 208

$0.41 ¥2.77

385.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.24 ¥143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 CFPF 1,044

$1.35 ¥9.13

639.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 CFPF 159

$1.18 ¥7.98

28.81%

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

$19.7K CFPF 2.1M

$19.8K ¥133.4K

-0.15%

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

$28.6K CFPF 3.0M

$16.5K ¥111.7K

73.20%

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

$179 CFPF 18.7K

$51.7 ¥349

245.83%

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

$17.68 CFPF 1,848

$10.09 ¥68.2

75.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 CFPF 11.1K

$11.38 ¥76.9

831.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 CFPF 7,660

$39.24 ¥265

86.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.52 CFPF 1,832

$14.84 ¥100

18.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 CFPF 1,498

$6.30 ¥42.56

127.30%

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

$485 CFPF 50.7K

$414 ¥2,795

17.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,864 CFPF 1.0M

$17.4K ¥117.6K

-43.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 CFPF 10.4K

$46.77 ¥316

111.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.7 CFPF 8,851

$33.08 ¥223

155.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CFPF 11.3K

$70.9 ¥479

52.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CFPF 11.3K

$74.5 ¥503

45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CFPF 136.5K

$440 ¥2,972

196.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 CFPF 113.3K

$253 ¥1,707

329.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CFPF 219.8K

$911 ¥6,153

130.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 CFPF 195.4K

$531 ¥3,584

252.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,452 CFPF 883.7K

$4,778 ¥32.3K

76.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,640 CFPF 798.8K

$2,403 ¥16.2K

217.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,931 CFPF 201.9K

$1,058 ¥7,144

82.59%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $536 in French Polynesia, $287 in China. Capital cities: $1,233 in Papeete vs $909 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,056 in French Polynesia, $857 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 87% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 11% more in China.

Salaries are 140% higher in French Polynesia, 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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $1,147 in French Polynesia, there's a 31% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.