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: $620 in French Polynesia versus $2,405 in United Kingdom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in French Polynesia versus $3,520 in United Kingdom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,281 in French Polynesia versus $4,635 in United Kingdom.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 74% less than in United Kingdom on average.

French Polynesia (55% below) and United Kingdom (74% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.67 CFPF 1,811
$21.52 £15.90
-17.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 CFPF 8,117
$88.0 £65.0
-9.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.80 CFPF 1,516
$10.89 £8.05
35.90%
Cappuccino
$4.16 CFPF 426
$4.92 £3.64
-15.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 CFPF 272
$2.59 £1.91
2.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 CFPF 266
$1.84 £1.36
40.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.00 CFPF 512
$6.91 £5.11
-27.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 CFPF 584
$6.86 £5.07
-16.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 CFPF 153
$1.67 £1.23
-10.78%
White Bread (500g)
$4.45 CFPF 456
$1.67 £1.23
166.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 CFPF 178
$2.20 £1.63
-20.91%
Eggs
$6.98 CFPF 715
$4.19 £3.10
66.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$36.96 CFPF 3,787
$9.98 £7.38
270.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.29 CFPF 1,669
$9.47 £7.00
72.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.81 CFPF 2,542
$15.41 £11.39
61.00%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 CFPF 525
$3.02 £2.23
69.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.99 CFPF 307
$1.70 £1.25
75.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.64 CFPF 681
$2.92 £2.16
127.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$8.01 CFPF 821
$3.38 £2.50
136.98%
Potato (1kg)
$3.19 CFPF 327
$1.84 £1.36
73.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 CFPF 250
$1.58 £1.17
54.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.68 CFPF 377
$1.26 £0.93
192.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 CFPF 130
$1.70 £1.26
-25.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.15 CFPF 1,347
$24.21 £17.90
-45.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.08 CFPF 2,467
$11.00 £8.13
118.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88 CFPF 295
$2.98 £2.21
-3.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 CFPF 408
$3.39 £2.51
17.40%
🚌 Getting Around
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 CFPF 195
$3.43 £2.53
-44.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.49 CFPF 1,484
$105 £77.9
-86.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.60 CFPF 983
$5.36 £3.96
79.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.56 CFPF 262
$2.37 £1.75
8.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.30 CFPF 2,490
$27.55 £20.36
-11.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 CFPF 158
$1.93 £1.43
-19.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K CFPF 2.0M
$39.7K £29.3K
-51.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K CFPF 3.2M
$40.7K £30.1K
-24.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$185 CFPF 19.0K
$321 £238
-42.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.23 CFPF 2,073
$18.67 £13.80
8.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.0 CFPF 7,481
$43.93 £32.47
66.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.5 CFPF 7,740
$46.56 £34.41
62.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.71 £13.83
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.48 CFPF 1,483
$13.53 £10.00
7.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 CFPF 50.5K
$1,739 £1,285
-71.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,918 CFPF 1.0M
$22.7K £16.7K
-56.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5 CFPF 7,221
$90.9 £67.2
-22.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.3 CFPF 7,613
$47.40 £35.04
56.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.7 CFPF 8,263
$105 £77.8
-23.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.1 CFPF 9,640
$101 £74.9
-7.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,303 CFPF 133.5K
$1,382 £1,022
-5.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CFPF 100.1K
$1,095 £809
-10.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,924 CFPF 197.2K
$2,216 £1,638
-13.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 CFPF 161.4K
$1,814 £1,341
-13.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,196 CFPF 737.2K
$5,730 £4,235
25.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,139 CFPF 936.3K
$4,515 £3,337
102.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
French Polynesia
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,947 CFPF 199.5K
$3,329 £2,461
-41.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.6
5.32
-13.53%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: September 7, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $347 in French Polynesia, $1,285 in United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,365 in Papeete vs $2,926 in London.

National salary averages: $2,126 in French Polynesia, $3,292 in United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 270% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 282% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 4200% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 55% 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 $1,197 per month in French Polynesia and $2,668 in United Kingdom, there's a 123% 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.

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