Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Italy

For one person, living is cheaper in Italy: $1,843 a month against $2,315 in French Polynesia, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

French Polynesia
Italy
🇵🇫 French Polynesia
$2,315
/mo nomad
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,843
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in French Polynesia and in Italy

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in French Polynesia and in Italy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,315 in French Polynesia versus $1,843 in Italy.

  • French Polynesia $2,315
  • Italy $1,843

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,464 in French Polynesia versus $2,816 in Italy.

  • French Polynesia $3,464
  • Italy $2,816

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in French Polynesia versus $3,788 in Italy.

  • French Polynesia $4,613
  • Italy $3,788

Internal cost variation is higher in French Polynesia: monthly costs span $14 to $2,283, compared to $1,038–$2,555 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in French Polynesia.

Living in French Polynesia is roughly 26% more expensive than in Italy on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: French Polynesia 70% above, Italy 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.95 CFPF 1,809
$20.46 €18.38
-17.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.4 CFPF 8,146
$79.5 €71.4
-3.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.24 CFPF 1,520
$11.15 €10.02
27.71%
Cappuccino
$4.14 CFPF 441
$2.04 €1.83
102.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 CFPF 281
$3.10 €2.78
-14.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 CFPF 266
$1.40 €1.26
77.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.75 CFPF 507
$5.51 €4.95
-13.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.58 CFPF 595
$5.74 €5.16
-2.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 CFPF 153
$1.57 €1.41
-8.92%
White Bread (500g)
$4.40 CFPF 470
$2.38 €2.14
84.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 CFPF 185
$2.90 €2.60
-40.34%
Eggs
$6.74 CFPF 719
$4.07 €3.66
65.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$35.28 CFPF 3,764
$17.44 €15.67
102.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.39 CFPF 1,643
$12.56 €11.28
22.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.37 CFPF 2,600
$20.17 €18.12
20.82%
Apples (1kg)
$4.93 CFPF 526
$2.58 €2.32
91.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.88 CFPF 308
$2.19 €1.97
31.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.35 CFPF 678
$2.68 €2.41
136.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.63 CFPF 814
$3.27 €2.93
133.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.92 CFPF 312
$1.90 €1.71
53.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 CFPF 259
$1.82 €1.63
32.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.65 CFPF 390
$1.57 €1.41
132.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 CFPF 123
$0.55 €0.49
110.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.06 CFPF 1,393
$6.69 €6.01
95.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.36 CFPF 2,493
$7.99 €7.17
192.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 CFPF 312
$1.77 €1.59
64.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 CFPF 401
$2.35 €2.11
60.00%
🚌 Getting Around
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.82 CFPF 194
$1.91 €1.72
-4.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.33 CFPF 1,529
$43.44 €39.02
-67.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.51 CFPF 1,014
$5.62 €5.05
69.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.39 CFPF 255
$1.71 €1.54
39.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.96 CFPF 2,450
$33.64 €30.22
-31.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 CFPF 153
$2.03 €1.82
-29.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.6K CFPF 2.0M
$35.3K €31.7K
-47.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K CFPF 3.2M
$36.7K €33.0K
-17.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 CFPF 18.5K
$227 €204
-23.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.73 CFPF 1,998
$11.59 €10.41
61.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.8 CFPF 7,445
$30.38 €27.29
129.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 CFPF 7,793
$51.8 €46.51
41.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.70 €21.29
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.25 CFPF 1,521
$10.60 €9.52
34.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$468 CFPF 49.9K
$568 €510
-17.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,405 CFPF 1.0M
$11.5K €10.4K
-18.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 CFPF 7,376
$90.5 €81.3
-23.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.3 CFPF 7,716
$38.55 €34.63
87.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.0 CFPF 8,319
$103 €92.2
-24.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.4 CFPF 9,542
$131 €118
-31.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,233 CFPF 131.5K
$826 €742
49.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$922 CFPF 98.4K
$646 €580
42.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,868 CFPF 199.3K
$1,400 €1,258
33.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,473 CFPF 157.2K
$1,054 €947
39.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,062 CFPF 753.5K
$3,662 €3,290
92.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,027 CFPF 963.2K
$2,301 €2,067
292.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,876 CFPF 200.2K
$1,886 €1,694
-0.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.6
3.56
29.21%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: October 24, 2026

Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
$922
Italy
$646 29.9% $276
Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
$565
Italy
$348 38.4% $217
Eating Out
French Polynesia
$283
Italy
$279 1.7% $4.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
$262
Italy
$269 2.5% $6.5
Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
$139
Italy
$163 17.4% $24
Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
$102
Italy
$73 28.1% $29
Getting Around
French Polynesia
$43
Italy
$65 51.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,170 in French Polynesia, $729 in Italy. Capital cities: $1,328 in Papeete vs $1,297 in Rome.

National salary averages: $1,977 in French Polynesia, $1,890 in Italy. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 60% higher in French Polynesia.

Public transport is 207% more expensive in Italy.

Good to know
🇵🇫 French Polynesia
🇮🇹 Italy
🕒 Local time
06:22 6:22 AM
17:22 5:22 PM
11 h ahead of French Polynesia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
278,786
58,850,717
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.37 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.42 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • French Polynesia Italy 16,810 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • French Polynesia
  • Italy

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 $2,315 per month in French Polynesia and $1,843 in Italy, there’s a 26% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Is rent more expensive in French Polynesia or in Italy?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,170 in French Polynesia and $729 in Italy. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: French Polynesia or Italy?
It depends on what you’re after: Italy wins on affordability; French Polynesia 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

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