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

Name: Marshall Islands
Address: MH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $618 in French Polynesia versus $2,048 in Marshall Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in French Polynesia versus $3,041 in Marshall Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,284 in French Polynesia versus $4,033 in Marshall Islands.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 70% less than in Marshall Islands on average.

French Polynesia (55% below) and Marshall Islands (49% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 CFPF 1,796

$7.52 $7.52

134.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 CFPF 7,947

$29.97 $29.97

160.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.36 CFPF 1,461

$10.47 $10.47

37.15%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CFPF 442

$4.24 $4.24

2.36%

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

$2.59 CFPF 264

$1.88 $1.88

37.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CFPF 263

$3.05 $3.05

-15.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CFPF 495

$4.59 $4.59

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CFPF 608

$5.04 $5.04

18.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 153

$2.30 $2.30

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.45 CFPF 453

$3.34 $3.34

33.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 CFPF 180

$1.77 $1.77

Eggs

$7.10 CFPF 722

$5.13 $5.13

38.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.15 CFPF 3,680

$31.29 $31.29

15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.13 CFPF 1,642

$10.96 $10.96

47.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.92 CFPF 2,536

$18.31 $18.31

36.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 CFPF 533

$4.42 $4.42

18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 CFPF 304

$7.10 $7.10

-57.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.74 CFPF 686

$8.89 $8.89

-24.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.11 CFPF 826

$12.82 $12.82

-36.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 CFPF 325

$5.15 $5.15

-38.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CFPF 259

$5.55 $5.55

-54.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 CFPF 388

$3.83 $3.83

-0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CFPF 125

$1.81 $1.81

-32.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 CFPF 1,339

$5.87 $5.87

124.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.42 CFPF 2,486

$10.03 $10.03

143.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CFPF 293

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 CFPF 384

$2.41 $2.41

56.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 CFPF 201

$2.96 $2.96

-33.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.65 CFPF 1,491

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.55 CFPF 972

$2.80 $2.80

241.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 CFPF 262

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.96 CFPF 2,440

$5.12 $5.12

367.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 155

$1.76 $1.76

-13.07%

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

$18.8K CFPF 1.9M

$25.5K $25.5K

-26.34%

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

$31.6K CFPF 3.2M

$35.4K $35.4K

-10.76%

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

$180 CFPF 18.3K

$247 $247

-27.20%

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

$19.54 CFPF 1,989

$37.89 $37.89

-48.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 CFPF 7,369

$71.5 $71.5

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.8 CFPF 7,818

$37.46 $37.46

105.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.29 CFPF 1,454

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

$487 CFPF 49.6K

$149 $149

226.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,584 CFPF 975.7K

$2,670 $2,670

258.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 CFPF 7,368

$70.0 $70.0

3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 CFPF 7,470

$39.89 $39.89

83.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 CFPF 8,082

$29.49 $29.49

169.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 CFPF 9,570

$50.4 $50.4

86.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CFPF 131.6K

$759 $759

70.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 CFPF 99.0K

$820 $820

18.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 CFPF 197.0K

$1,311 $1,311

47.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CFPF 157.0K

$1,377 $1,377

11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 CFPF 752.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,154 CFPF 931.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,920 CFPF 195.5K

$1,002 $1,002

91.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

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

Last update for French Polynesia: August 16, 2026

Last update for Marshall Islands: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $351 in French Polynesia, $770 in Marshall Islands. Capital cities: $1,373 in Papeete vs $770 in Majuro.

National salary averages: $2,111 in French Polynesia, $990 in Marshall Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 119% higher in Marshall Islands.

Dining out costs 36% more in Marshall Islands.

Salaries are 113% 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 Marshall Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,179 per month in French Polynesia and $2,048 in Marshall Islands, there's a 74% 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 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.

Rent in Marshall Islands 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.

In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Marshall Islands 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: French Polynesia wins on affordability; Marshall Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.