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: $789 in French Polynesia versus $3,227 in Vanuatu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in French Polynesia versus $3,156 in Vanuatu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in French Polynesia versus $3,085 in Vanuatu.

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

French Polynesia (41% below) and Vanuatu (141% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,625

$11.00 VUV 1,270

44.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CFPF 8,329

$63.7 VUV 7,350

27.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,239

$9.42 VUV 1,087

28.24%

Cappuccino

$4.44 CFPF 455

$5.04 VUV 582

-11.90%

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

$2.67 CFPF 274

$2.22 VUV 256

20.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CFPF 216

$1.75 VUV 202

20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 CFPF 500

$4.45 VUV 513

9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CFPF 506

$4.25 VUV 490

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 154

$2.40 VUV 277

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CFPF 283

$2.73 VUV 315

1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 172

$3.83 VUV 442

-56.14%

Eggs

$7.17 CFPF 735

$5.25 VUV 606

36.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.65 CFPF 3,966

$20.37 VUV 2,351

89.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CFPF 1,693

$16.76 VUV 1,934

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,735

$16.78 VUV 1,937

58.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 CFPF 583

$4.79 VUV 553

18.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CFPF 255

$2.79 VUV 322

-10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 CFPF 712

$5.47 VUV 631

26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 CFPF 797

$3.45 VUV 398

125.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CFPF 300

$5.12 VUV 591

-42.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 CFPF 278

$2.86 VUV 330

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 396

$2.46 VUV 283

56.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 120

$1.33 VUV 154

-12.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CFPF 1,221

$9.46 VUV 1,092

25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.41 CFPF 2,504

$14.39 VUV 1,661

69.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 262

$3.16 VUV 364

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CFPF 491

$2.94 VUV 339

62.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 205

$1.73 VUV 199

15.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 VUV 7,843

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,017

$2.05 VUV 236

383.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 VUV 101

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 VUV 591

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 161

$1.87 VUV 215

-16.04%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$23.2K VUV 2.7M

-16.64%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$38.1K VUV 4.4M

-23.54%

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

$178 CFPF 18.3K

$544 VUV 62.8K

-67.25%

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

$17.55 CFPF 1,801

$25.63 VUV 2,958

-31.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.5K

$228 VUV 26.3K

-54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,749

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,832

$16.78 VUV 1,936

6.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,494

$12.41 VUV 1,432

17.41%

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

$479 CFPF 49.2K

$611 VUV 70.5K

-21.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

$6,863 VUV 792.1K

42.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

$46.56 VUV 5,373

112.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CFPF 8,927

$67.5 VUV 7,788

28.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CFPF 11.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CFPF 135.7K

$1,845 VUV 212.9K

-28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CFPF 112.3K

$1,758 VUV 202.8K

-37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CFPF 220.5K

$3,380 VUV 390.1K

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CFPF 190.3K

$2,037 VUV 235.1K

-8.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 900.2K

$6,133 VUV 707.8K

43.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 812.8K

$2,231 VUV 257.4K

255.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 198.5K

$338 VUV 39.1K

471.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $532 in French Polynesia, $941 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $1,231 in Papeete vs $1,882 in Port Vila.

National salary averages: $2,100 in French Polynesia, $496 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 74% more in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 323% 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 Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $3,227 in Vanuatu, there's a 181% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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