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: $787 in French Polynesia versus $1,000 in Samoa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in French Polynesia versus $2,533 in Samoa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,604 in French Polynesia versus $4,066 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.

Internal cost variation is higher in French Polynesia: monthly costs span $0 to $2,251, compared to $1,000–$1,000 in Samoa. City choice carries more weight in French Polynesia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.81 CFPF 1,610

$53.8 WST 145

-70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 CFPF 8,111

$35.26 WST 95.2

125.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 CFPF 1,214

$13.62 WST 36.78

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$4.38 CFPF 446

$2.43 WST 6.57

80.25%

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

$2.66 CFPF 270

$2.07 WST 5.59

28.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CFPF 225

$1.31 WST 3.54

68.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 CFPF 513

$4.18 WST 11.30

20.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CFPF 486

$3.56 WST 9.62

33.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 152

$1.76 WST 4.76

-14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CFPF 291

$0.82 WST 2.20

248.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 CFPF 169

$1.82 WST 4.92

-8.79%

Eggs

$7.37 CFPF 751

$4.31 WST 11.64

71.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.55 CFPF 3,924

$0.86 WST 2.32

4382.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.05 CFPF 1,736

$3.53 WST 9.52

383.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.36 CFPF 2,785

$7.99 WST 21.58

242.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 CFPF 548

$4.87 WST 13.15

10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CFPF 244

$1.77 WST 4.77

35.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 CFPF 696

$1.75 WST 4.74

290.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.84 CFPF 798

$4.24 WST 11.45

84.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CFPF 311

$3.50 WST 9.46

-12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CFPF 278

$1.04 WST 2.82

162.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.93 CFPF 400

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CFPF 114

$1.15 WST 3.10

-2.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CFPF 1,226

$5.98 WST 16.15

101.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.51 CFPF 2,495

$16.22 WST 43.78

51.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 260

$1.82 WST 4.92

40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 CFPF 467

$3.53 WST 9.54

30.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 CFPF 195

$3.49 WST 9.42

-44.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,008

$5.24 WST 14.15

89.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.25 WST 57.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 CFPF 162

$1.05 WST 2.83

51.43%

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

$19.1K CFPF 1.9M

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

$28.9K CFPF 2.9M

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

$184 CFPF 18.7K

$18.17 WST 49.07

912.16%

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

$17.61 CFPF 1,792

$18.10 WST 48.87

-2.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 CFPF 10.8K

$35.32 WST 95.4

199.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 CFPF 7,471

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.55 CFPF 1,786

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 CFPF 1,495

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

$477 CFPF 48.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,768 CFPF 994.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.0 CFPF 9,970

$49.88 WST 135

96.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 CFPF 8,588

$40.32 WST 109

109.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CFPF 11.2K

$73.9 WST 199

49.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CFPF 10.9K

$101 WST 273

5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CFPF 133.6K

$345 WST 933

280.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 CFPF 112.0K

$147 WST 398

646.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 CFPF 214.4K

$706 WST 1,907

198.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 CFPF 187.3K

$1,155 WST 3,120

59.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,564 CFPF 871.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,932 CFPF 807.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 CFPF 200.1K

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Samoa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $537 in French Polynesia, $0 in Samoa. Capital cities: $1,232 in Papeete vs $0 in Apia.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 89% 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 $1,126 per month in French Polynesia and $1,000 in Samoa, there's a 13% 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, $1,500 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. Samoa wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.