Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Papua New Guinea Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Papua New Guinea

Name: Papua New Guinea
Address: PG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in French Polynesia versus $682 in Papua New Guinea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in French Polynesia versus $984 in Papua New Guinea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in French Polynesia versus $1,286 in Papua New Guinea.

Living in French Polynesia is roughly 16% more expensive than Papua New Guinea on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, Papua New Guinea 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,618

$7.87 PGK 34.33

101.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CFPF 8,292

$47.75 PGK 208

70.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,234

$5.90 PGK 25.72

104.75%

Cappuccino

$4.44 CFPF 453

$2.31 PGK 10.08

92.21%

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

$2.67 CFPF 273

$0.89 PGK 3.90

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CFPF 215

$0.75 PGK 3.26

181.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 CFPF 498

$2.84 PGK 12.40

71.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CFPF 503

$4.44 PGK 19.38

11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 153

$1.97 PGK 8.61

-23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CFPF 281

$1.58 PGK 6.88

74.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 171

$1.48 PGK 6.44

13.51%

Eggs

$7.17 CFPF 732

$3.89 PGK 16.95

84.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.65 CFPF 3,948

$6.00 PGK 26.16

544.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CFPF 1,685

$6.63 PGK 28.92

148.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,723

$9.04 PGK 39.43

194.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 CFPF 580

$4.07 PGK 17.75

39.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CFPF 254

$2.74 PGK 11.97

-9.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 CFPF 709

$4.91 PGK 21.42

41.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 CFPF 794

$4.00 PGK 17.46

94.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CFPF 299

$3.44 PGK 14.99

-14.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 CFPF 277

$2.49 PGK 10.86

8.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 394

$2.88 PGK 12.55

34.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 120

$1.05 PGK 4.59

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CFPF 1,216

$6.54 PGK 28.52

81.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.41 CFPF 2,493

$11.23 PGK 48.97

117.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 261

$2.52 PGK 10.98

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CFPF 489

$3.53 PGK 15.40

35.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 204

$0.50 PGK 2.20

298.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 PGK 122

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,012

$5.28 PGK 23.04

87.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 PGK 10.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.94 PGK 73.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 160

$1.11 PGK 4.84

41.44%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$24.0K PGK 104.7K

-19.51%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$31.3K PGK 136.3K

-6.75%

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

$178 CFPF 18.2K

$102 PGK 447

74.06%

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

$17.55 CFPF 1,793

$48.00 PGK 209

-63.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.5K

$213 PGK 928

-51.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,715

$62.0 PGK 270

21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,824

$12.34 PGK 53.8

44.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,488

$9.78 PGK 42.65

48.98%

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

$479 CFPF 49.0K

$434 PGK 1,893

10.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

$4,128 PGK 18.0K

137.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

$35.81 PGK 156

176.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CFPF 8,888

$35.50 PGK 155

145.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$68.5 PGK 299

59.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CFPF 11.2K

$66.6 PGK 291

64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CFPF 135.1K

$3,043 PGK 13.3K

-56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CFPF 111.8K

$473 PGK 2,062

131.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CFPF 219.5K

$3,230 PGK 14.1K

-33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CFPF 189.4K

$731 PGK 3,189

153.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 896.3K

$2,143 PGK 9,348

309.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 809.3K

$3,963 PGK 17.3K

99.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 197.6K

$427 PGK 1,864

352.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

12.75

-57.65%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Last update for Papua New Guinea: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $532 in French Polynesia, $1,958 in Papua New Guinea. Capital cities: $1,231 in Papeete vs $2,151 in Port Moresby.

National salary averages: $2,100 in French Polynesia, $325 in Papua New Guinea. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 268% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 58% more in Papua New Guinea.

Salaries are 546% higher in French Polynesia, giving French Polynesia 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 Papua New Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $845 in Papua New Guinea, there's a 36% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Papua New Guinea, $2,500 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. Papua New Guinea wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.