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: $620 in French Polynesia versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in French Polynesia versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,281 in French Polynesia versus $1,576 in China.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 14% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 55% lower, China 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CFPF 1,811

$2.93 ¥19.60

503.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 CFPF 8,117

$22.72 ¥152

248.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 CFPF 1,516

$5.07 ¥33.95

191.91%

Cappuccino

$4.16 CFPF 426

$2.94 ¥19.70

41.50%

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

$2.65 CFPF 272

$0.48 ¥3.21

452.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CFPF 266

$0.30 ¥2.02

763.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.00 CFPF 512

$1.06 ¥7.10

371.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 CFPF 584

$2.25 ¥15.07

153.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 CFPF 153

$1.79 ¥11.99

-16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.45 CFPF 456

$1.70 ¥11.35

161.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 CFPF 178

$0.96 ¥6.45

81.25%

Eggs

$6.98 CFPF 715

$1.61 ¥10.79

333.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.96 CFPF 3,787

$13.60 ¥91.1

171.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.29 CFPF 1,669

$3.41 ¥22.84

377.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.81 CFPF 2,542

$11.07 ¥74.2

124.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 CFPF 525

$1.81 ¥12.09

183.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 CFPF 307

$1.30 ¥8.74

130.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.64 CFPF 681

$1.48 ¥9.91

348.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.01 CFPF 821

$1.30 ¥8.72

516.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 CFPF 327

$0.72 ¥4.82

343.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CFPF 250

$0.94 ¥6.31

159.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.68 CFPF 377

$0.61 ¥4.08

503.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CFPF 130

$0.56 ¥3.73

126.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 CFPF 1,347

$3.67 ¥24.58

258.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.08 CFPF 2,467

$11.90 ¥79.7

102.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CFPF 295

$0.83 ¥5.56

246.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CFPF 408

$1.65 ¥11.08

141.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 CFPF 195

$0.29 ¥1.92

558.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.49 CFPF 1,484

$22.61 ¥151

-35.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 CFPF 983

$1.45 ¥9.72

562.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 CFPF 262

$0.34 ¥2.31

652.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 CFPF 2,490

$7.27 ¥48.72

234.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 CFPF 158

$1.23 ¥8.26

26.02%

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

$19.1K CFPF 2.0M

$19.5K ¥130.9K

-2.18%

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

$30.9K CFPF 3.2M

$17.2K ¥115.5K

78.96%

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

$185 CFPF 19.0K

$55.5 ¥371

234.28%

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

$20.23 CFPF 2,073

$8.51 ¥57.0

137.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 CFPF 7,481

$10.81 ¥72.4

575.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,740

$40.02 ¥268

88.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

Cinema Ticket

$14.48 CFPF 1,483

$6.73 ¥45.09

115.16%

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

$493 CFPF 50.5K

$454 ¥3,042

8.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,918 CFPF 1.0M

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 CFPF 7,221

$44.95 ¥301

56.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.3 CFPF 7,613

$35.81 ¥240

107.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 CFPF 8,263

$76.8 ¥514

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 CFPF 9,640

$77.3 ¥518

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 CFPF 133.5K

$385 ¥2,581

238.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CFPF 100.1K

$242 ¥1,623

303.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,924 CFPF 197.2K

$837 ¥5,603

130.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 CFPF 161.4K

$474 ¥3,177

232.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,196 CFPF 737.2K

$4,619 ¥30.9K

55.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,139 CFPF 936.3K

$2,316 ¥15.5K

294.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 CFPF 199.5K

$1,062 ¥7,110

83.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.47

32.56%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: September 7, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $347 in French Polynesia, $295 in China. Capital cities: $1,365 in Papeete vs $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,126 in French Polynesia, $865 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 18% higher in French Polynesia.

Public transport is 750% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 146% 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 $852 per month in China and $1,197 in French Polynesia, there's a 40% 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.