Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Punaauia

For one person, living is cheaper in Punaauia: $13.65 a month against $4,102 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $49,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,102

/mo nomad

Punaauia

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$13.65

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Punaauia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,102 in Los Angeles, CA versus $13.65 in Punaauia.

Los Angeles, CA $4,102
Punaauia $13.65

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,042 in Los Angeles, CA versus $24 in Punaauia.

Los Angeles, CA $6,042
Punaauia $24

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,983 in Los Angeles, CA versus $34 in Punaauia.

Los Angeles, CA $7,983
Punaauia $34

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 29950% more expensive than in Punaauia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Los Angeles, CA is 203% above, Punaauia is 99% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.98 $27.98

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.95 $14.95

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

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

$3.85 $3.85

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 $8.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.08 $10.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.37 CFPF 145

-6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.73 $4.73

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

Eggs

$5.57 $5.57

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 $10.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 $20.32

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.93 $11.93

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 $103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 $3.71

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.25 $37.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

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

$35.4K $35.4K

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

$26.9K $26.9K

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

$298 $298

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

$78.6 $78.6

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.20 $12.20

Cinema Ticket

$18.18 $18.18

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

$1,688 $1,688

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$48.6K $48.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 $91.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 $67.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 $215

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,564 $2,564

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 $2,290

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,213 $5,213

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,921 $3,921

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,107 $7,107

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 $6,985

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,211 $4,211

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.91

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Punaauia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Los Angeles, CA

$2.3K 55.8%

Punaauia

–

Groceries & Markets

Los Angeles, CA

$466 11.4%

Punaauia

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Angeles, CA

$455 11.1%

Punaauia

–

Eating Out

Los Angeles, CA

$428 10.4%

Punaauia

–

Clothing & Footwear

Los Angeles, CA

$223 5.4%

Punaauia

–

Getting Around

Los Angeles, CA

$125 3.1%

Punaauia

–

Sport & Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.8%

Punaauia

–

Good to know

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🇵🇫 Punaauia

🕒 Local time

13:34 1:34 PM

11:34 11:34 AM

2 h behind Los Angeles, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,030,904

25,399

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.43 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.44 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 November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.43 USD). 1 EUR = 118 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.44 EUR).

XPF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Los Angeles, CA
Punaauia

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 Punaauia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punaauia is about 100% cheaper overall, especially in groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $6,153 in Los Angeles, CA and $20 in Punaauia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3315% higher in Los Angeles, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $4,102 per month in Los Angeles, CA versus $13.65 in Punaauia – Punaauia is about 100% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $13.65 in Punaauia versus $4,102 in Los Angeles, CA, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Punaauia but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Punaauia 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.