Cost of Living Comparison Between Heerlen and Papeete Cost of Living Comparison Between Heerlen and Papeete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Heerlen versus $2,338 in Papeete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,482 in Heerlen versus $3,582 in Papeete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,757 in Heerlen versus $4,827 in Papeete.

Living in Heerlen costs roughly 6% less than in Papeete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Heerlen 61% above, Papeete 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.12 €19.89

$19.27 CFPF 1,973

19.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 €75.5

$96.9 CFPF 9,922

-9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.83

$15.55 CFPF 1,592

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.32

$3.57 CFPF 366

8.12%

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

$3.16 €2.72

$2.82 CFPF 288

12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$3.36 CFPF 344

-38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 €4.47

$3.42 CFPF 350

51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.05

$3.99 CFPF 408

17.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.53 CFPF 157

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.72 CFPF 278

-8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.64 CFPF 168

57.93%

Eggs

$4.16 €3.58

$6.63 CFPF 679

-37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 €10.27

$29.40 CFPF 3,009

-59.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.70 €12.65

$15.81 CFPF 1,618

-7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 €16.01

$27.65 CFPF 2,830

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.96 CFPF 508

-50.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.53 CFPF 259

-2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$6.84 CFPF 700

-67.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 €3.86

$8.10 CFPF 829

-44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.86 CFPF 293

-32.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.35 CFPF 241

-8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$3.80 CFPF 389

-62.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.19 CFPF 122

-31.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 €12.63

$13.36 CFPF 1,367

9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 €6.25

$21.65 CFPF 2,216

-66.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.90 CFPF 296

-48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.23 CFPF 331

-17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 €3.31

$1.93 CFPF 198

99.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 €54.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 €5.47

$9.79 CFPF 1,003

-35.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 €1.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.42 €20.15

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.51 CFPF 154

52.98%

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

$30.3K €26.1K

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

56.90%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

24.33%

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

$193 €166

$187 CFPF 19.2K

3.37%

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

$27.47 €23.64

$20.53 CFPF 2,102

33.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 €45.08

$72.9 CFPF 7,461

-28.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.64 €31.53

$86.8 CFPF 8,888

-57.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.67 €24.67

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 €11.82

$14.49 CFPF 1,483

-5.24%

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

$694 €597

$487 CFPF 49.8K

42.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,684 €4,891

$9,807 CFPF 1.0M

-42.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.5

$71.7 CFPF 7,338

43.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 €44.81

$74.5 CFPF 7,631

-30.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 €83.3

$82.5 CFPF 8,448

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 €164

$91.5 CFPF 9,362

108.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 €916

$1,389 CFPF 142.1K

-23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 €790

$956 CFPF 97.8K

-3.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 €1,689

$1,889 CFPF 193.4K

3.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,430

$1,528 CFPF 156.4K

8.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,099 €3,527

$7,316 CFPF 748.9K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 €2,522

$7,648 CFPF 782.9K

-61.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,326 €2,862

$2,386 CFPF 244.3K

39.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

4.5

-3.33%

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

Last update for Heerlen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Papeete: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,064 in Heerlen and $1,389 in Papeete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Heerlen pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Heerlen vs $97.0 in Papeete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $541 per month, with Heerlen cheaper across the board.

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

Heerlen vs Papeete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Heerlen wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Papeete. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Heerlen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Heerlen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,064 in Heerlen versus $1,389 in Papeete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $694 in Heerlen versus $487 in Papeete. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Heerlen – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $97.0 in Papeete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,206 in Heerlen versus $2,338 in Papeete, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Heerlen but tight or insufficient in Papeete. The gap between the two cities makes Heerlen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Heerlen and Papeete are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Heerlen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Papeete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.