Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and United Kingdom

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in French Polynesia versus $2,365 in United Kingdom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,187 in French Polynesia versus $3,470 in United Kingdom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,583 in French Polynesia versus $4,575 in United Kingdom.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 67% less than in United Kingdom on average.

French Polynesia (41% below) and United Kingdom (78% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.13 CFPF 1,687
$20.15 £15.08
-19.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.8 CFPF 8,340
$88.5 £66.2
-9.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.34 CFPF 1,290
$10.33 £7.73
19.46%
Cappuccino
$4.52 CFPF 473
$4.53 £3.39
-0.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 CFPF 288
$2.38 £1.78
15.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 CFPF 230
$1.70 £1.27
29.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.95 CFPF 518
$6.61 £4.95
-25.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.99 CFPF 522
$6.24 £4.67
-20.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 CFPF 151
$1.64 £1.23
-11.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 CFPF 288
$1.67 £1.25
64.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 CFPF 178
$2.22 £1.66
-23.42%
Eggs
$7.20 CFPF 752
$3.98 £2.98
80.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$39.16 CFPF 4,094
$9.60 £7.18
307.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.80 CFPF 1,757
$9.15 £6.85
83.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.82 CFPF 2,804
$13.94 £10.43
92.40%
Apples (1kg)
$5.57 CFPF 582
$2.94 £2.20
89.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 CFPF 248
$1.67 £1.25
41.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.86 CFPF 717
$2.85 £2.14
140.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.80 CFPF 815
$3.44 £2.58
126.74%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 CFPF 317
$1.70 £1.27
78.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.69 CFPF 281
$1.61 £1.20
67.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.82 CFPF 399
$1.12 £0.84
241.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 CFPF 116
$1.52 £1.14
-26.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.14 CFPF 1,269
$20.60 £15.41
-41.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.27 CFPF 2,537
$10.60 £7.93
128.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CFPF 269
$2.87 £2.15
-10.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 CFPF 487
$3.27 £2.45
42.20%
🚌 Getting Around
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 CFPF 208
$3.23 £2.42
-38.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$93.3 £69.8
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.98 CFPF 1,044
$5.28 £3.95
89.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.52 £1.14
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$26.79 £20.04
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 CFPF 159
$1.98 £1.48
-23.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K CFPF 2.1M
$37.9K £28.3K
-47.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6K CFPF 3.0M
$40.6K £30.3K
-29.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 CFPF 18.7K
$325 £243
-45.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.68 CFPF 1,848
$17.63 £13.19
0.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$106 CFPF 11.1K
$42.17 £31.55
151.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.3 CFPF 7,660
$45.93 £34.36
59.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.52 CFPF 1,832
$15.86 £11.87
10.47%
Cinema Ticket
$14.32 CFPF 1,498
$13.36 £10.00
7.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$485 CFPF 50.7K
$1,736 £1,299
-72.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,864 CFPF 1.0M
$21.3K £16.0K
-53.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.1 CFPF 10.4K
$90.8 £67.9
9.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$84.7 CFPF 8,851
$45.24 £33.85
87.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 CFPF 11.3K
$102 £76.6
5.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 CFPF 11.3K
$102 £76.2
6.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,306 CFPF 136.5K
$1,412 £1,057
-7.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,084 CFPF 113.3K
$1,122 £840
-3.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 CFPF 219.8K
$2,367 £1,770
-11.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,869 CFPF 195.4K
$1,827 £1,367
2.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,452 CFPF 883.7K
$5,662 £4,235
49.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,640 CFPF 798.8K
$4,424 £3,309
72.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,931 CFPF 201.9K
$3,238 £2,422
-40.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.4
5.75
-6.09%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: July 26, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $536 in French Polynesia, $1,266 in United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,233 in Papeete vs $3,021 in London.

National salary averages: $2,056 in French Polynesia, $3,174 in United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 136% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 342% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 54% higher in United Kingdom, 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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in French Polynesia compare to the cost in United Kingdom?
At $1,147 per month in French Polynesia and $2,777 in United Kingdom, there's a 142% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in French Polynesia vs United Kingdom?
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.
Is rent more expensive in French Polynesia or in United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom 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.
Can you live in both French Polynesia and United Kingdom on $2,000 per month?
In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: French Polynesia or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: French Polynesia wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

French Polynesia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries