🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in French Polynesia versus $1,796 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in French Polynesia versus $2,739 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,281 in French Polynesia versus $3,682 in Italy.
🌍Living in French Polynesia costs about 65% less than in Italy on average.
📊French Polynesia (55% below) and Italy (30% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.67CFPF 1,811
$21.24€18.31
-16.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2CFPF 8,117
$80.8€69.7
-1.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.80CFPF 1,516
$11.41€9.84
29.71%
Cappuccino
$4.16CFPF 426
$2.08€1.79
100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65CFPF 272
$3.05€2.63
-13.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59CFPF 266
$1.38€1.19
87.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.00CFPF 512
$5.79€4.99
-13.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70CFPF 584
$5.75€4.96
-0.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49CFPF 153
$1.70€1.46
-12.35%
White Bread(500g)
$4.45CFPF 456
$2.41€2.08
84.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.74CFPF 178
$3.01€2.59
-42.19%
Eggs
$6.98CFPF 715
$4.32€3.72
61.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$36.96CFPF 3,787
$17.93€15.45
106.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.29CFPF 1,669
$12.67€10.92
28.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$24.81CFPF 2,542
$20.57€17.73
20.61%
Apples(1kg)
$5.13CFPF 525
$2.62€2.26
95.80%
Banana(1kg)
$2.99CFPF 307
$2.15€1.85
39.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.64CFPF 681
$2.80€2.41
137.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.01CFPF 821
$3.32€2.87
141.27%
Potato(1kg)
$3.19CFPF 327
$2.10€1.81
51.90%
Onion(1kg)
$2.44CFPF 250
$1.89€1.63
29.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.68CFPF 377
$1.55€1.33
137.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27CFPF 130
$0.56€0.48
126.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.15CFPF 1,347
$7.16€6.17
83.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.08CFPF 2,467
$7.35€6.33
227.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88CFPF 295
$1.80€1.55
60.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98CFPF 408
$2.41€2.07
65.15%
🚌 Getting Around
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91CFPF 195
$1.93€1.66
-1.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.49CFPF 1,484
$45.24€39.00
-67.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$9.60CFPF 983
$5.74€4.95
67.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.56CFPF 262
$1.70€1.47
50.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.30CFPF 2,490
$35.25€30.38
-31.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55CFPF 158
$2.04€1.76
-24.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1KCFPF 2.0M
$37.5K€32.3K
-49.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9KCFPF 3.2M
$37.1K€31.9K
-16.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$185CFPF 19.0K
$231€199
-19.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.23CFPF 2,073
$12.34€10.64
63.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.0CFPF 7,481
$31.17€26.87
134.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$75.5CFPF 7,740
$55.2€47.62
36.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.91€21.47
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.48CFPF 1,483
$11.13€9.59
30.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$493CFPF 50.5K
$568€490
-13.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,918CFPF 1.0M
$12.5K€10.8K
-20.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5CFPF 7,221
$93.0€80.1
-24.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.3CFPF 7,613
$39.82€34.32
86.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.7CFPF 8,263
$104€89.8
-22.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.1CFPF 9,640
$135€116
-30.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,303CFPF 133.5K
$852€734
53.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$977CFPF 100.1K
$645€556
51.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,924CFPF 197.2K
$1,449€1,249
32.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,576CFPF 161.4K
$1,084€935
45.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,196CFPF 737.2K
$3,813€3,287
88.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$9,139CFPF 936.3K
$2,357€2,032
287.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,947CFPF 199.5K
$1,933€1,666
0.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.6
3.57
28.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for French Polynesia: September 7, 2026
Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $347 in French Polynesia, $755 in Italy. Capital cities: $1,365 in Papeete vs $1,247 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $2,126 in French Polynesia, $1,964 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 118% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 245% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 2050% more expensive in Italy.
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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in French Polynesia compare to the cost in Italy?
At $1,197 per month in French Polynesia and $1,889 in Italy, there's a 58% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in French Polynesia vs Italy?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in French Polynesia: 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.
Is rent more expensive in French Polynesia or in Italy?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in French Polynesia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both French Polynesia and Italy on $2,000 per month?
In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: French Polynesia or Italy?
It depends on what you're after: French Polynesia wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
French Polynesia vs other spots: cost of living compared