Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palikir and Apia

For one person, living is cheaper in Apia: $851 a month against $1,021 in Palikir, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Palikir
Learn more

Palikir Living Index

Jump to prices

Palikir

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,021

/mo nomad

Apia

🇼🇸 Samoa

$851

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palikir and in Apia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,021 in Palikir versus $851 in Apia.

Palikir $1,021
Apia $851

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,593 in Palikir versus $2,281 in Apia.

Palikir $1,593
Apia $2,281

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Palikir versus $3,711 in Apia.

Palikir $2,165
Apia $3,711

Living in Palikir is roughly 20% more expensive than in Apia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palikir 24% lower, Apia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.98 $29.98

$47.76 WST 133

-37.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.63 $45.63

$36.89 WST 103

23.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 $5.88

$14.51 WST 40.39

-59.48%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$2.93 WST 8.15

-0.34%

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

$1.13 $1.13

$1.80 WST 5.01

-37.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.39 WST 3.88

45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.51 WST 9.78

-71.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.67 WST 10.20

-44.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.22 $0.22

$1.83 WST 5.09

-87.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.84 WST 2.34

160.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 WST 5.17

15.05%

Eggs

$2.34 $2.34

$4.15 WST 11.55

-43.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$0.94 WST 2.62

358.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.67 WST 10.21

17.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 $6.59

$8.60 WST 23.92

-23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$5.22 WST 14.54

-31.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.79 WST 4.99

38.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.87 WST 5.21

16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.34 WST 12.07

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.70 WST 10.29

-8.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.11 WST 3.10

101.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.22 WST 3.40

-9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.02 $18.02

$6.31 WST 17.55

185.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 $6.91

$16.32 WST 45.41

-57.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.87 WST 5.19

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$3.68 WST 10.24

-61.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 $0.81

$3.57 WST 9.94

-77.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.38 $33.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 $6.34

$5.33 WST 14.84

18.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$5.42 WST 15.08

-68.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$21.64 WST 60.2

-77.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.06 WST 2.95

201.89%

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

$4,053 $4,053

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

$4,073 $4,073

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

$39.98 $39.98

$18.16 WST 50.6

120.15%

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

$15.26 $15.26

$18.40 WST 51.2

-17.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$261 $261

$36.53 WST 102

613.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.13 $41.13

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.37 $20.37

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 $7.09

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

$115 $115

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,664 $1,664

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 $19.93

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.85 $24.85

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 $70.4

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 $54.8

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 WST 4,982

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 $843

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$694 $694

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 $252

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

380000

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

Last update for Palikir: October 6, 2026

Last update for Apia: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palikir

$316 30.8%

Apia

–

Eating Out

Palikir

$314 30.6%

Apia

–

Groceries & Markets

Palikir

$213 20.7%

Apia

–

Clothing & Footwear

Palikir

$77 7.5%

Apia

–

Sport & Entertainment

Palikir

$55 5.4%

Apia

–

Getting Around

Palikir

$51 5%

Apia

–

Accommodation & Living

Palikir

- * 0%

Apia

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Palikir vs $37.00 in Apia. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $241, with Palikir cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Palikir

🇼🇸 Apia

🕒 Local time

17:23 5:23 PM

19:23 7:23 PM

2 h ahead of Palikir

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,942 Capital

36,000 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Samoan Tala WST T

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 WST = 0.359 USD

1 WST = 0.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

WST, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇼🇸 Samoan Tala (T)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Samoan Tala exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.78 WST (1 WST = 0.359 USD). 1 EUR = 3.12 WST (1 WST = 0.32 EUR).

WST to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Palikir Apia 4,040 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Palikir
Apia

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

Palikir vs Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Palikir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,531 in Palikir and $1,277 in Apia 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,021 per month in Palikir versus $851 in Apia – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Palikir pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Apia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Palikir and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Palikir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.