Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palikir and Pohnpei

For one person, living is cheaper in Palikir: $1,039 a month against $1,662 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pohnpei outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

50

Cost of Living Index in Palikir
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Palikir Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index

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Palikir

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,039

/mo nomad

Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palikir and in Pohnpei

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

A single person spends $1,039 per month in Palikir vs $1,662 in Pohnpei, rent included.

Palikir $1,039
Pohnpei $1,662

A couple spends around $1,593 per month in Palikir vs $2,526 in Pohnpei, rent included.

Palikir $1,593
Pohnpei $2,526

A family of three spends $2,146 per month in Palikir vs $3,390 in Pohnpei, rent included.

Palikir $2,146
Pohnpei $3,390

Palikir is about 38% cheaper than Pohnpei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Palikir sits 24% below the global median, while Pohnpei is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.48 $30.48

$11.42 $11.42

166.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.23 $45.23

$45.11 $45.11

0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.55 $7.55

-22.78%

Cappuccino

$3.05 $3.05

$2.94 $2.94

3.74%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$1.21 $1.21

-7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.90 $3.90

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 $1.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.97 $2.97

-30.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.25 $0.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.28 $3.28

-34.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.98 $2.98

-24.83%

Eggs

$2.37 $2.37

$7.16 $7.16

-66.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$7.21 $7.21

-40.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.02 $5.02

-11.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$11.70 $11.70

-41.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$6.04 $6.04

-40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.55 $3.55

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$5.39 $5.39

-59.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.87 $4.87

-31.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$5.07 $5.07

-56.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.83 $3.83

-51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.98 $0.98

15.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.70 $17.70

$8.85 $8.85

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.98 $2.98

120.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.36 $2.36

-39.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.97 $0.97

-19.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.18 $34.18

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.91 $4.91

26.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.25 $1.25

32.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.10 $4.10

17.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.64 $3.64

-16.76%

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

$3,934 $3,934

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

$3,955 $3,955

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

$39.72 $39.72

$134 $134

-70.31%

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

$14.89 $14.89

$39.34 $39.34

-62.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$267 $267

$200 $200

33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 $41.68

$20.08 $20.08

107.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.60 $19.60

$50.0 $50.0

-60.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 $6.81

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

$116 $116

$171 $171

-32.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,655 $1,655

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 $20.17

$80.6 $80.6

-74.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 $25.31

$66.9 $66.9

-62.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$110 $110

-35.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 $54.0

$97.9 $97.9

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 $890

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$849 $849

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$694 $694

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 $245

$352 $352

-30.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

380000

360000

5.56%

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

Last update for Palikir: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pohnpei: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palikir

$322 31%

Pohnpei

$373 22.5% 16% $52

Eating Out

Palikir

$320 30.8%

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6% 45% $144

Groceries & Markets

Palikir

$213 20.5%

Pohnpei

$293 * 17.6% 37.5% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Palikir

$77 7.4%

Pohnpei

$160 9.6% 108% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Palikir

$55 5.3%

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2% 63.7% $35

Getting Around

Palikir

$52 5%

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9% 70.9% $37

Accommodation & Living

Palikir

- * 0%

Pohnpei

$625 37.6%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 44% higher in Pohnpei, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Palikir versus $45 in Pohnpei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $293 – making Palikir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Palikir

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🕒 Local time

02:45 2:45 AM

Same time as Palikir

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,942 Capital

34,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Palikir Pohnpei 9 km

From you

Palikir
Pohnpei

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 Pohnpei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,039 in Palikir, $1,662 in Pohnpei – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,558 per month in Palikir and $2,493 in Pohnpei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Palikir and $171 in Pohnpei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,039 in Palikir and $1,662 in Pohnpei. That’s a gap of about 60%.

$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,039 in Palikir and $1,662 in Pohnpei, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Pohnpei has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,039 in Palikir to $1,662 in Pohnpei. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palikir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pohnpei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.