Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Pago Pago and the Cook Islands
For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,456 a month against $1,533 in the Cook Islands, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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Pago Pago Living Index71Cost of Living Index in Pago PagoLearn more -
Cook Islands Living Index65Cost of Living Index in the Cook IslandsLearn more
🙂 Solo nomad: Pago Pago is 1.3% cheaper than the Cook Islands without rent, and 5% cheaper with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Pago Pago is 6% more expensive than the Cook Islands without rent, and 23.1% more expensive with rent.
🍽 Eating Out
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$11.04 NZ$19.67
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.18 $36.18
$55.9 NZ$99.5
-35.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.07 $10.07
$6.96 NZ$12.41
44.68%
Cappuccino
-
$3.46 NZ$6.16
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.44 NZ$4.35
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 $1.01
$2.41 NZ$4.30
-58.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.60 NZ$9.97
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 $3.89
$4.98 NZ$8.87
-21.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.59 $2.59
$2.28 NZ$4.07
13.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.82 $2.82
$3.11 NZ$5.55
-9.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.20 $4.20
$1.73 NZ$3.08
142.77%
Eggs
$4.63 $4.63
$5.49 NZ$9.78
-15.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 $10.03
$8.97 NZ$15.99
11.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.83 $9.83
$7.93 NZ$14.13
23.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.47 $11.47
$9.93 NZ$17.70
15.51%
Apples (1kg)
$6.15 $6.15
$2.85 NZ$5.08
115.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.66 NZ$2.95
-38.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$3.37 NZ$6.01
-13.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$8.86 NZ$15.80
-54.63%
Potato (1kg)
$3.92 $3.92
$2.73 NZ$4.87
43.59%
Onion (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$2.28 NZ$4.06
78.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.26 NZ$4.02
-12.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.86 NZ$5.09
-29.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.49 $11.49
$11.19 NZ$19.94
2.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$12.37 NZ$22.05
19.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 $0.99
$3.30 NZ$5.88
-70.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$4.69 NZ$8.36
-38.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.81 NZ$5.01
-27.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$124 $124
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 $5.07
$19.31 NZ$34.40
-73.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 $2.05
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.49 $29.49
$33.83 NZ$60.3
-12.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.94 NZ$3.46
-29.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$11.2K NZ$19.9K
166.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K $20.2K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$404 $404
$104 NZ$186
287.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.11 $30.11
$46.77 NZ$83.3
-35.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3 $76.3
$101 NZ$180
-24.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.35 $49.35
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.06 $10.06
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.22 $9.22
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$989 $989
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,838 $9,838
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.4 $69.4
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.3 $50.3
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.3 $81.3
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$327 $327
$689 NZ$1,228
-52.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$201 $201
$710 NZ$1,265
-71.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$884 $884
$388 NZ$692
127.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$707 $707
$621 NZ$1,106
13.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.1K $18.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.7K $10.7K
$945 NZ$1,684
1029.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pago Pago
Cook Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,217 $1,217
$3,914 NZ$6,974
-68.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pago Pago: October 4, 2026
Last update for the Cook Islands: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pago Pago $510 34.7%
Cook Islands $252 16.1% 50.6% $258
Groceries & Markets
Pago Pago $364 24.8%
Cook Islands $368 23.5% 1% $3.8
Accommodation & Living
Pago Pago $201 13.7%
Cook Islands $710 45.3% 253% $508
Getting Around
Pago Pago $147 10%
Cook Islands $31 * 2% 79.3% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Pago Pago $136 9.3%
Cook Islands - * 0% 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Pago Pago $68 4.6%
Cook Islands - * 0% 100%
Eating Out
Pago Pago $42 * 2.9%
Cook Islands $208 13.3% 395% $166
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pago Pago $540 17.5%
Cook Islands $299 11.9% 44.7% $241
Groceries & Markets
Pago Pago $841 27.2%
Cook Islands $834 33.2% 0.9% $7.5
Accommodation & Living
Pago Pago $707 22.9%
Cook Islands $621 24.7% 12.2% $86
Getting Around
Pago Pago $299 9.7%
Cook Islands $67 * 2.7% 77.7% $232
Clothing & Footwear
Pago Pago $303 9.8%
Cook Islands - * 0% 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Pago Pago $146 4.7%
Cook Islands - * 0% 100%
Eating Out
Pago Pago $253 * 8.2%
Cook Islands $690 27.5% 173% $437
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Good to know
🇦🇸 Pago Pago
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
Weather
Population
11,500 Capital
14,222
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Pago Pago Cook Islands 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
- Pago Pago
- Cook Islands
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
Pago Pago vs other spots: cost of living compared
Pago Pago
🇦🇸 American Samoa
$1,456
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
Pago Pago
🇦🇸 American Samoa
$1,456
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$906
/mo nomad
Pago Pago
🇦🇸 American Samoa
$1,456
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Pago Pago
🇦🇸 American Samoa
$1,456
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,348
/mo nomad
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