Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Samoa Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and Samoa

Name: Samoa
Address: WS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in French Polynesia versus $999 in Samoa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in French Polynesia versus $2,576 in Samoa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in French Polynesia versus $4,152 in Samoa.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 21% less than in Samoa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, Samoa 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,633

$53.7 WST 147

-70.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CFPF 8,369

$36.26 WST 99.5

123.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,246

$14.08 WST 38.62

-14.20%

Cappuccino

$4.44 CFPF 457

$2.51 WST 6.88

76.89%

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

$2.67 CFPF 275

$2.10 WST 5.77

27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CFPF 217

$1.27 WST 3.49

66.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 CFPF 502

$4.25 WST 11.67

14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CFPF 508

$3.50 WST 9.60

40.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 155

$1.84 WST 5.04

-18.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CFPF 284

$0.77 WST 2.12

258.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 173

$1.75 WST 4.79

-4.00%

Eggs

$7.17 CFPF 739

$4.11 WST 11.28

74.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.65 CFPF 3,985

$0.92 WST 2.51

4101.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CFPF 1,701

$3.60 WST 9.88

358.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,749

$8.22 WST 22.57

224.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 CFPF 585

$4.94 WST 13.55

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CFPF 257

$1.83 WST 5.01

36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 CFPF 716

$1.82 WST 4.99

281.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 CFPF 801

$4.31 WST 11.82

80.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CFPF 302

$3.48 WST 9.55

-15.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 CFPF 280

$1.10 WST 3.01

146.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 398

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 121

$1.19 WST 3.28

-1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CFPF 1,227

$6.04 WST 16.58

97.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.41 CFPF 2,516

$16.29 WST 44.71

49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 263

$1.80 WST 4.94

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CFPF 493

$3.49 WST 9.58

36.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 206

$3.49 WST 9.59

-42.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,022

$5.47 WST 15.02

81.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.53 WST 59.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 162

$1.04 WST 2.86

50.96%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

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

$178 CFPF 18.4K

$17.93 WST 49.19

894.09%

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

$17.55 CFPF 1,810

$17.66 WST 48.45

-0.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.6K

$35.75 WST 98.1

186.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,786

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,841

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,502

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

$479 CFPF 49.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 CFPF 10.2K

$50.9 WST 140

94.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CFPF 8,971

$39.63 WST 109

119.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CFPF 11.3K

$76.0 WST 209

43.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CFPF 11.3K

$99.4 WST 273

10.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CFPF 136.3K

$352 WST 965

275.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CFPF 112.8K

$150 WST 411

631.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CFPF 221.6K

$707 WST 1,939

204.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CFPF 191.2K

$1,134 WST 3,113

63.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 904.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 816.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 199.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

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

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Last update for Samoa: June 1, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 84% more in Samoa.

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 Samoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $999 in Samoa, there's a 15% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Samoa, $1,000 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. Samoa wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.