🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in French Polynesia versus $1,720 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,187 in French Polynesia versus $2,626 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,583 in French Polynesia versus $3,531 in Italy.
🌍Living in French Polynesia costs about 54% less than in Italy on average.
📊French Polynesia (41% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.13CFPF 1,687
$17.16€14.96
-6.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.8CFPF 8,340
$81.4€70.9
-1.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.34CFPF 1,290
$11.60€10.11
6.38%
Cappuccino
$4.52CFPF 473
$1.98€1.73
128.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76CFPF 288
$3.00€2.62
-8.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20CFPF 230
$1.36€1.18
61.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.95CFPF 518
$5.92€5.16
-16.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.99CFPF 522
$5.25€4.58
-4.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45CFPF 151
$1.70€1.49
-14.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75CFPF 288
$2.37€2.07
16.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70CFPF 178
$3.03€2.65
-43.89%
Eggs
$7.20CFPF 752
$3.95€3.44
82.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$39.16CFPF 4,094
$16.66€14.53
135.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.80CFPF 1,757
$12.26€10.68
37.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$26.82CFPF 2,804
$20.06€17.49
33.70%
Apples(1kg)
$5.57CFPF 582
$2.55€2.23
118.43%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37CFPF 248
$2.20€1.92
7.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.86CFPF 717
$2.75€2.40
149.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.80CFPF 815
$3.22€2.81
142.24%
Potato(1kg)
$3.03CFPF 317
$1.94€1.69
56.19%
Onion(1kg)
$2.69CFPF 281
$1.82€1.59
47.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.82CFPF 399
$1.48€1.29
158.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11CFPF 116
$0.50€0.43
122.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.14CFPF 1,269
$7.13€6.21
70.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.27CFPF 2,537
$7.37€6.43
229.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57CFPF 269
$1.76€1.53
46.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65CFPF 487
$2.53€2.20
83.79%
🚌 Getting Around
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99CFPF 208
$1.99€1.73
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$42.32€36.90
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$9.98CFPF 1,044
$5.67€4.94
76.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.52€1.32
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$34.94€30.46
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.52CFPF 159
$2.09€1.83
-27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7KCFPF 2.1M
$32.7K€28.5K
-39.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6KCFPF 3.0M
$32.9K€28.7K
-12.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179CFPF 18.7K
$227€198
-21.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.68CFPF 1,848
$13.58€11.84
30.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$106CFPF 11.1K
$31.57€27.52
235.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.3CFPF 7,660
$57.7€50.3
27.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.52CFPF 1,832
$25.23€22.00
-30.56%
Cinema Ticket
$14.32CFPF 1,498
$10.59€9.24
35.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$485CFPF 50.7K
$568€495
-14.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,864CFPF 1.0M
$10.5K€9,187
-6.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.1CFPF 10.4K
$90.7€79.0
9.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$84.7CFPF 8,851
$40.49€35.30
109.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108CFPF 11.3K
$99.8€87.0
8.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108CFPF 11.3K
$130€113
-16.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,306CFPF 136.5K
$865€754
51.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,084CFPF 113.3K
$672€586
61.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,102CFPF 219.8K
$1,523€1,328
38.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,869CFPF 195.4K
$1,078€940
73.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,452CFPF 883.7K
$3,767€3,284
124.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,640CFPF 798.8K
$2,360€2,058
223.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
French Polynesia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,931CFPF 201.9K
$1,949€1,699
-0.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.4
4.41
22.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for French Polynesia: July 26, 2026
Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $536 in French Polynesia, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $1,233 in Papeete vs $1,334 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $2,056 in French Polynesia, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 39% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 289% more 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 $1,147 per month in French Polynesia and $1,817 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