Cost of Living Comparison Between Marshall Islands and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between Marshall Islands and French Polynesia

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,048 in Marshall Islands versus $618 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,041 in Marshall Islands versus $951 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Marshall Islands versus $1,284 in French Polynesia.

Living in Marshall Islands is roughly 231% more expensive than in French Polynesia on average.

Marshall Islands (49% above) and French Polynesia (55% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 $7.52

$17.64 CFPF 1,796

-57.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.97 $29.97

$78.1 CFPF 7,947

-61.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 $10.47

$14.36 CFPF 1,461

-27.09%

Cappuccino

$4.24 $4.24

$4.34 CFPF 442

-2.30%

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

$1.88 $1.88

$2.59 CFPF 264

-27.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.58 CFPF 263

18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.86 CFPF 495

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 $5.04

$5.97 CFPF 608

-15.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.50 CFPF 153

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.45 CFPF 453

-24.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.77 CFPF 180

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$7.10 CFPF 722

-27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.29 $31.29

$36.15 CFPF 3,680

-13.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.96 $10.96

$16.13 CFPF 1,642

-32.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.31 $18.31

$24.92 CFPF 2,536

-26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.23 CFPF 533

-15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$7.10 $7.10

$2.99 CFPF 304

137.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$6.74 CFPF 686

31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$8.11 CFPF 826

58.08%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.19 CFPF 325

61.44%

Onion (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$2.55 CFPF 259

117.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.81 CFPF 388

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.23 CFPF 125

47.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 $5.87

$13.15 CFPF 1,339

-55.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 $10.03

$24.42 CFPF 2,486

-58.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CFPF 293

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.77 CFPF 384

-36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.97 CFPF 201

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.65 CFPF 1,491

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$9.55 CFPF 972

-70.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 CFPF 262

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$23.96 CFPF 2,440

-78.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.53 CFPF 155

15.03%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$18.8K CFPF 1.9M

35.75%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$31.6K CFPF 3.2M

12.06%

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

$247 $247

$180 CFPF 18.3K

37.37%

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

$37.89 $37.89

$19.54 CFPF 1,989

93.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$72.4 CFPF 7,369

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 $37.46

$76.8 CFPF 7,818

-51.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.29 CFPF 1,454

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

$149 $149

$487 CFPF 49.6K

-69.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,670 $2,670

$9,584 CFPF 975.7K

-72.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$72.4 CFPF 7,368

-3.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 $39.89

$73.4 CFPF 7,470

-45.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.49 $29.49

$79.4 CFPF 8,082

-62.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 $50.4

$94.0 CFPF 9,570

-46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 $759

$1,293 CFPF 131.6K

-41.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 $820

$973 CFPF 99.0K

-15.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$1,935 CFPF 197.0K

-32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$1,543 CFPF 157.0K

-10.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 CFPF 752.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,154 CFPF 931.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,002 $1,002

$1,920 CFPF 195.5K

-47.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

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

Last update for Marshall Islands: August 17, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $770 in Marshall Islands, $351 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $770 in Majuro vs $1,373 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $990 in Marshall Islands, $2,111 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 119% higher in Marshall Islands.

Dining out costs 36% more in Marshall Islands.

Salaries are 113% 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

Marshall Islands vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,179 per month in French Polynesia and $2,048 in Marshall Islands, there's a 74% 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 Marshall Islands 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 Marshall Islands 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; Marshall Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.