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: $2,123 in Marshall Islands versus $783 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,026 in Marshall Islands versus $1,188 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,928 in Marshall Islands versus $1,592 in French Polynesia.

Living in Marshall Islands is roughly 171% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

Marshall Islands (58% above) and French Polynesia (42% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.40 $12.40

$15.90 CFPF 1,636

-22.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.40 $29.40

$81.6 CFPF 8,392

-63.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 $10.65

$12.08 CFPF 1,243

-11.84%

Cappuccino

$4.03 $4.03

$4.49 CFPF 461

-10.24%

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

$1.81 $1.81

$2.63 CFPF 270

-31.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.13 CFPF 219

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.83 CFPF 497

-8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.96 CFPF 511

-1.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.51 CFPF 155

49.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.80 CFPF 288

23.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.63 CFPF 167

7.98%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$7.03 CFPF 723

-44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.55 $29.55

$38.13 CFPF 3,921

-22.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$16.45 CFPF 1,692

-34.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.24 $18.24

$27.44 CFPF 2,822

-33.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$5.39 CFPF 555

-19.11%

Banana (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$2.35 CFPF 241

213.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$6.61 CFPF 680

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$7.73 CFPF 795

62.74%

Potato (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.05 CFPF 314

73.11%

Onion (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.74 CFPF 282

96.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.92 CFPF 403

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.16 CFPF 120

29.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CFPF 1,239

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 $10.19

$23.95 CFPF 2,463

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 262

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.71 CFPF 485

-52.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.95 CFPF 201

31.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$9.56 CFPF 983

-73.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.57 CFPF 161

13.38%

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

$18.4K $18.4K

$19.5K CFPF 2.0M

-5.50%

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

$13.2K $13.2K

$29.0K CFPF 3.0M

-54.58%

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

$246 $246

$183 CFPF 18.8K

34.71%

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

$37.10 $37.10

$17.42 CFPF 1,791

112.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$106 CFPF 10.9K

-33.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.21 $33.21

$73.2 CFPF 7,525

-54.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.87 CFPF 1,838

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 CFPF 1,525

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

$151 $151

$484 CFPF 49.8K

-68.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,562 $3,562

$9,615 CFPF 988.9K

-62.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 $56.8

$98.7 CFPF 10.2K

-42.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$85.8 CFPF 8,828

-52.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.65 $34.65

$108 CFPF 11.1K

-67.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 $53.4

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-51.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 $767

$1,332 CFPF 136.9K

-42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 $827

$1,090 CFPF 112.2K

-24.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$2,093 CFPF 215.3K

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 $1,416

$1,871 CFPF 192.5K

-24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,577 CFPF 882.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,962 CFPF 818.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 $1,477

$1,919 CFPF 197.3K

-23.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

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

Last update for Marshall Islands: June 8, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $752 in Marshall Islands, $539 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $752 in Majuro vs $1,243 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $1,001 in Marshall Islands, $2,100 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 40% higher in Marshall Islands.

Dining out costs 53% more in Marshall Islands.

Salaries are 110% 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

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

At $1,124 per month in French Polynesia and $2,123 in Marshall Islands, there's a 89% 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 Marshall Islands 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 Marshall Islands, 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; Marshall Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.