Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Cook Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Cook Islands

Name: Cook Islands
Address: CK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in French Polynesia versus $1,103 in Cook Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in French Polynesia versus $1,682 in Cook Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,604 in French Polynesia versus $2,260 in Cook Islands.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 29% less than in Cook Islands on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, Cook Islands 18% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in French Polynesia: monthly costs span $0 to $2,251, compared to $850–$1,355 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in French Polynesia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.81 CFPF 1,614

$12.08 NZ$20.66

30.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 CFPF 8,133

$60.8 NZ$104

30.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 CFPF 1,218

$9.07 NZ$15.51

31.53%

Cappuccino

$4.38 CFPF 447

$4.17 NZ$7.13

5.04%

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

$2.66 CFPF 271

$2.49 NZ$4.26

6.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CFPF 225

$2.37 NZ$4.05

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 CFPF 515

$6.69 NZ$11.44

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CFPF 487

$5.29 NZ$9.05

-9.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 153

$2.17 NZ$3.70

-30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CFPF 292

$3.12 NZ$5.34

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 CFPF 170

$1.67 NZ$2.86

-0.60%

Eggs

$7.37 CFPF 753

$5.67 NZ$9.70

29.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.55 CFPF 3,935

$9.78 NZ$16.72

294.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.05 CFPF 1,740

$7.68 NZ$13.13

122.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.36 CFPF 2,792

$8.89 NZ$15.21

207.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 CFPF 549

$2.94 NZ$5.03

82.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CFPF 245

$2.42 NZ$4.14

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 CFPF 698

$3.62 NZ$6.18

88.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.84 CFPF 800

$6.40 NZ$10.95

22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CFPF 312

$2.38 NZ$4.08

28.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CFPF 279

$1.92 NZ$3.29

42.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.93 CFPF 401

$2.17 NZ$3.71

81.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CFPF 114

$3.26 NZ$5.58

-65.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CFPF 1,230

$15.29 NZ$26.14

-21.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.51 CFPF 2,502

$13.21 NZ$22.58

85.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 261

$3.53 NZ$6.04

-27.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 CFPF 469

$4.92 NZ$8.42

-6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 CFPF 196

$3.09 NZ$5.28

-37.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,011

$21.22 NZ$36.29

-53.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.64 NZ$62.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 CFPF 162

$1.76 NZ$3.00

-9.66%

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

$19.1K CFPF 2.0M

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

59.46%

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

$28.9K CFPF 2.9M

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

$184 CFPF 18.8K

$105 NZ$179

75.45%

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

$17.61 CFPF 1,797

$29.92 NZ$51.2

-41.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 CFPF 10.8K

$106 NZ$181

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 CFPF 7,491

$24.82 NZ$42.44

195.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.55 CFPF 1,791

$23.94 NZ$40.94

-26.69%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 CFPF 1,500

$6.99 NZ$11.96

110.16%

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

$477 CFPF 48.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,768 CFPF 997.0K

$1,443 NZ$2,467

577.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.0 CFPF 9,997

$66.8 NZ$114

46.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 CFPF 8,612

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CFPF 11.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CFPF 10.9K

$75.4 NZ$129

41.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CFPF 134.0K

$314 NZ$537

317.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 CFPF 112.3K

$321 NZ$549

242.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 CFPF 215.0K

$354 NZ$605

495.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 CFPF 187.8K

$475 NZ$812

287.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,564 CFPF 874.2K

$5,153 NZ$8,812

66.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,932 CFPF 809.7K

$751 NZ$1,284

956.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 CFPF 200.7K

$4,164 NZ$7,120

-52.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

-32.50%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: April 22, 2026

Last update for Cook Islands: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $537 in French Polynesia, $323 in Cook Islands. Capital cities: $1,232 in Papeete vs $156 in Avarua.

National salary averages: $2,144 in French Polynesia, $4,055 in Cook Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 66% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 211% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 89% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands 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 Cook Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,103 per month in Cook Islands and $1,126 in French Polynesia, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Cook Islands 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 Cook Islands across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Cook Islands, $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. Cook Islands wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.