Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Papeete

For one person, living is cheaper in Papeete: $2,321 a month against $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

203

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Papeete
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Papeete Living Index

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Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,259

/mo nomad

Papeete

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$2,321

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Los Angeles, CA and in Papeete

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Los Angeles, CA and in Papeete actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,321 in Papeete.

Los Angeles, CA $4,259
Papeete $2,321

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,260 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,432 in Papeete.

Los Angeles, CA $6,260
Papeete $3,432

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,260 in Los Angeles, CA versus $4,544 in Papeete.

Los Angeles, CA $8,260
Papeete $4,544

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 84% more expensive than in Papeete, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Angeles, CA 218% above, Papeete 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.00 $27.00

$18.62 CFPF 1,983

45.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$93.1 CFPF 9,917

31.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.98 $14.98

$14.59 CFPF 1,554

2.67%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$3.32 CFPF 354

75.90%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$2.71 CFPF 289

39.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.37 CFPF 359

-20.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.34 CFPF 356

141.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$3.87 CFPF 412

154.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.43 CFPF 152

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.74 CFPF 291

76.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.65 CFPF 176

171.52%

Eggs

$6.14 $6.14

$6.42 CFPF 684

-4.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$27.71 CFPF 2,951

-59.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$15.09 CFPF 1,607

4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$26.13 CFPF 2,783

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$4.82 CFPF 513

8.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.54 CFPF 270

-8.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.64 CFPF 707

-29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$7.90 CFPF 841

-28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.64 CFPF 282

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.21 CFPF 236

30.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.76 CFPF 401

-44.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.11 CFPF 118

119.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 $12.78

$12.92 CFPF 1,376

-1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$20.89 CFPF 2,225

-27.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.80 CFPF 298

5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.19 CFPF 339

-11.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.92 CFPF 205

-6.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$9.22 CFPF 982

-66.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.58 $31.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.47 CFPF 156

10.20%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$18.6K CFPF 2.0M

102.01%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$28.4K CFPF 3.0M

-7.38%

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

$288 $288

$184 CFPF 19.6K

56.50%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$19.80 CFPF 2,109

293.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 $80.5

$69.0 CFPF 7,344

16.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 $74.2

$84.2 CFPF 8,967

-11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 $11.90

Cinema Ticket

$19.79 $19.79

$14.24 CFPF 1,517

38.97%

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

$1,678 $1,678

$467 CFPF 49.7K

259.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,465 CFPF 1.0M

237.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 $91.3

$69.4 CFPF 7,388

31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 $65.7

$72.9 CFPF 7,763

-9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$77.8 CFPF 8,290

55.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 $206

$88.4 CFPF 9,410

132.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,545 $2,545

$1,342 CFPF 142.9K

89.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 $2,443

$936 CFPF 99.7K

160.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,518 $5,518

$1,834 CFPF 195.4K

200.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,275 $4,275

$1,492 CFPF 158.9K

186.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,211 $7,211

$7,135 CFPF 759.9K

1.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,930 $6,930

$7,632 CFPF 812.9K

-9.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,173 $4,173

$2,195 CFPF 233.8K

90.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

4.5

52.44%

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Papeete: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8%

Papeete

$936 41.1% 61.7% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Los Angeles, CA

$467 11.1%

Papeete

$519 22.8% 11.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Angeles, CA

$446 10.6%

Papeete

$273 12% 38.9% $174

Eating Out

Los Angeles, CA

$417 9.9%

Papeete

$281 12.4% 32.5% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.2%

Papeete

$139 6.1% 36.3% $79

Getting Around

Los Angeles, CA

$124 2.9%

Papeete

$17 * 0.7% 86.3% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.7%

Papeete

$113 5% 1% $1.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA and $1,342 in Papeete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Los Angeles, CA vs $93.0 in Papeete. Groceries flip the comparison at $467 vs $519, with Los Angeles, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🇵🇫 Papeete

🕒 Local time

05:28 5:28 AM

02:28 2:28 AM

3 h behind Los Angeles, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,030,904

26,050 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🌐 CFP Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

XPF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Los Angeles, CA Papeete 6,630 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Los Angeles, CA
Papeete

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Los Angeles, CA vs Papeete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Papeete is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Los Angeles, CA, 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: $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,342 in Papeete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Los Angeles, CA pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $4,259 per month in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,321 in Papeete – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Papeete is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Papeete is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Los Angeles, CA 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 Papeete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.