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

Name: Tonga
Address: TO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in French Polynesia versus $343 in Tonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in French Polynesia versus $626 in Tonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in French Polynesia versus $908 in Tonga.

Living in French Polynesia is roughly 130% more expensive than Tonga on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, Tonga 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,618

$8.23 TOP 19.22

92.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CFPF 8,292

$62.0 TOP 145

30.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,234

$10.57 TOP 24.68

14.29%

Cappuccino

$4.44 CFPF 453

$2.97 TOP 6.94

49.49%

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

$2.67 CFPF 273

$2.88 TOP 6.72

-7.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CFPF 215

$2.41 TOP 5.62

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 CFPF 498

$3.30 TOP 7.71

47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CFPF 503

$5.12 TOP 11.95

-3.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 153

$1.57 TOP 3.67

-4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CFPF 281

$1.03 TOP 2.40

167.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 171

$2.07 TOP 4.83

-18.84%

Eggs

$7.17 CFPF 732

$5.11 TOP 11.94

40.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.65 CFPF 3,948

$9.27 TOP 21.64

316.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CFPF 1,685

$5.73 TOP 13.39

187.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,723

$7.46 TOP 17.41

257.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 CFPF 580

$2.85 TOP 6.66

99.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CFPF 254

$2.69 TOP 6.27

-7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 CFPF 709

$2.89 TOP 6.75

140.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 CFPF 794

$3.64 TOP 8.50

113.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CFPF 299

$3.20 TOP 7.48

-8.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 CFPF 277

$2.70 TOP 6.29

0.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 394

$2.25 TOP 5.26

71.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 120

$1.40 TOP 3.28

-16.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CFPF 1,216

$10.35 TOP 24.16

14.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.41 CFPF 2,493

$17.27 TOP 40.32

41.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 261

$3.16 TOP 7.38

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CFPF 489

$3.36 TOP 7.84

42.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 204

$2.06 TOP 4.82

-3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.28 TOP 96.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,012

$2.13 TOP 4.97

365.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.20 TOP 96.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 160

$1.47 TOP 3.43

6.80%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$5,828 TOP 13.6K

231.51%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$8,185 TOP 19.1K

256.09%

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

$178 CFPF 18.2K

$186 TOP 433

-3.94%

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

$17.55 CFPF 1,793

$22.05 TOP 51.5

-20.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.5K

$122 TOP 285

-16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,715

$30.91 TOP 72.2

144.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,824

$41.91 TOP 97.8

-57.41%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,488

$41.37 TOP 96.6

-64.78%

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

$479 CFPF 49.0K

$156 TOP 365

207.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

$253 TOP 591

3777.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

$14.73 TOP 34.39

571.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CFPF 8,888

$17.74 TOP 41.42

390.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$20.94 TOP 48.89

422.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CFPF 11.2K

$28.59 TOP 66.7

283.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CFPF 135.1K

$621 TOP 1,449

113.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CFPF 111.8K

$50.4 TOP 118

2070.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CFPF 219.5K

$838 TOP 1,956

156.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CFPF 189.4K

$566 TOP 1,321

227.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 896.3K

$409 TOP 956

2043.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 809.3K

$250 TOP 583

3074.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 197.6K

$669 TOP 1,562

189.03%

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 Tonga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $532 in French Polynesia, $205 in Tonga. Capital cities: $1,231 in Papeete vs $614 in Nuku'alofa.

National salary averages: $2,100 in French Polynesia, $674 in Tonga. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 160% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 11% more in Tonga.

Salaries are 212% 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 Tonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $514 in Tonga, there's a 124% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

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