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

Name: Vanuatu
Address: VU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $778 in French Polynesia versus $3,224 in Vanuatu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in French Polynesia versus $3,154 in Vanuatu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,590 in French Polynesia versus $3,083 in Vanuatu.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 76% less than in Vanuatu on average.

French Polynesia (42% below) and Vanuatu (141% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,650

$11.39 VUV 1,325

39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 CFPF 8,263

$64.3 VUV 7,490

23.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 CFPF 1,284

$9.58 VUV 1,115

28.60%

Cappuccino

$4.42 CFPF 461

$5.10 VUV 594

-13.33%

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

$2.65 CFPF 276

$2.13 VUV 248

24.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CFPF 229

$1.71 VUV 199

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 CFPF 503

$4.51 VUV 525

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CFPF 515

$4.11 VUV 478

20.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 151

$2.45 VUV 285

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CFPF 288

$2.73 VUV 318

1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 175

$3.73 VUV 435

-54.96%

Eggs

$7.16 CFPF 746

$5.14 VUV 598

39.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.42 CFPF 4,002

$20.00 VUV 2,329

92.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.83 CFPF 1,753

$16.59 VUV 1,932

1.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 CFPF 2,843

$16.76 VUV 1,951

62.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 CFPF 571

$4.71 VUV 549

16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CFPF 247

$2.78 VUV 323

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 CFPF 700

$5.50 VUV 641

22.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.93 CFPF 826

$3.33 VUV 388

138.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 CFPF 313

$5.17 VUV 602

-41.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CFPF 280

$2.82 VUV 328

-4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 402

$2.51 VUV 292

53.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 122

$1.32 VUV 154

-11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 CFPF 1,245

$9.56 VUV 1,113

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.34 CFPF 2,535

$14.82 VUV 1,725

64.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 CFPF 265

$3.28 VUV 382

-22.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CFPF 494

$2.93 VUV 341

62.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 CFPF 205

$1.71 VUV 199

15.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 VUV 7,929

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.82 CFPF 1,023

$2.15 VUV 250

356.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 VUV 94.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 VUV 581

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 CFPF 158

$1.94 VUV 226

-21.65%

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

$19.7K CFPF 2.0M

$23.0K VUV 2.7M

-14.68%

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

$28.7K CFPF 3.0M

$38.5K VUV 4.5M

-25.54%

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

$181 CFPF 18.8K

$545 VUV 63.5K

-66.87%

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

$17.77 CFPF 1,850

$25.05 VUV 2,916

-29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.7K

$232 VUV 27.0K

-55.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 CFPF 7,655

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.81 CFPF 1,855

$17.11 VUV 1,992

4.09%

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 CFPF 1,529

$12.77 VUV 1,486

14.96%

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

$485 CFPF 50.5K

$626 VUV 72.8K

-22.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,615 CFPF 1.0M

$6,974 VUV 811.8K

37.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 CFPF 10.4K

$46.39 VUV 5,400

115.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.4 CFPF 8,895

$68.0 VUV 7,910

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CFPF 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CFPF 11.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CFPF 134.7K

$1,896 VUV 220.7K

-31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CFPF 113.4K

$1,808 VUV 210.4K

-39.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 CFPF 219.6K

$3,414 VUV 397.4K

-38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CFPF 190.3K

$2,096 VUV 244.0K

-12.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,356 CFPF 870.3K

$6,075 VUV 707.2K

37.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,809 CFPF 813.3K

$2,207 VUV 256.9K

253.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,935 CFPF 201.5K

$336 VUV 39.1K

475.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

-22.86%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: July 21, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $531 in French Polynesia, $942 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $1,226 in Papeete vs $1,885 in Port Vila.

National salary averages: $2,079 in French Polynesia, $490 in Vanuatu. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 77% higher in Vanuatu.

Dining out costs 68% more in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 324% higher in French Polynesia, 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 Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,120 per month in French Polynesia and $3,224 in Vanuatu, there's a 188% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in Vanuatu 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.

In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Vanuatu it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: French Polynesia wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.