Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Arue

For one person, living is cheaper in Arue: $1,012 a month against $2,284 in Papeete, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Papeete
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Papeete Living Index

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Papeete

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$2,284

/mo nomad

Arue

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$1,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Papeete and in Arue

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,284 in Papeete versus $1,012 in Arue.

Papeete $2,284
Arue $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,466 in Papeete versus $1,498 in Arue.

Papeete $3,466
Arue $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Papeete versus $1,984 in Arue.

Papeete $4,647
Arue $1,984

Living in Papeete is roughly 126% more expensive than in Arue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Papeete is 69% above, Arue is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 CFPF 1,968

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 CFPF 10.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.67 CFPF 1,552

Cappuccino

$3.37 CFPF 357

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

$2.65 CFPF 280

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 CFPF 357

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CFPF 352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 CFPF 390

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 CFPF 157

$1.34 CFPF 142

11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 CFPF 278

$4.54 CFPF 481

-42.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 CFPF 168

$3.75 CFPF 397

-57.60%

Eggs

$6.46 CFPF 683

$11.43 CFPF 1,209

-43.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.78 CFPF 2,939

$55.4 CFPF 5,859

-49.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.37 CFPF 1,626

$26.05 CFPF 2,756

-41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.82 CFPF 2,838

$22.92 CFPF 2,425

17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 CFPF 488

$5.29 CFPF 560

-12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CFPF 255

$2.89 CFPF 305

-16.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.62 CFPF 700

$7.36 CFPF 779

-10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.98 CFPF 844

$8.54 CFPF 904

-6.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CFPF 289

$4.09 CFPF 433

-33.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 CFPF 239

$2.83 CFPF 300

-20.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.76 CFPF 398

$3.81 CFPF 403

-1.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CFPF 122

$1.37 CFPF 145

-16.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 CFPF 1,355

$11.86 CFPF 1,255

7.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 CFPF 2,248

$27.67 CFPF 2,927

-23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CFPF 301

$2.73 CFPF 289

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CFPF 335

$7.40 CFPF 782

-57.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 CFPF 195

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 CFPF 986

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 CFPF 156

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

$19.0K CFPF 2.0M

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

$28.1K CFPF 3.0M

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

$183 CFPF 19.4K

$156 CFPF 16.5K

17.24%

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

$19.84 CFPF 2,099

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 CFPF 7,277

$122 CFPF 12.9K

-43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.2 CFPF 8,911

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 CFPF 1,505

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

$468 CFPF 49.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,296 CFPF 983.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 CFPF 7,166

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.2 CFPF 7,528

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 CFPF 8,402

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 CFPF 9,270

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 CFPF 143.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CFPF 99.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CFPF 195.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 CFPF 161.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,919 CFPF 732.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,397 CFPF 782.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,200 CFPF 232.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

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

Last update for Papeete: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arue: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Papeete

$942 41.2%

Arue

–

Groceries & Markets

Papeete

$522 22.9%

Arue

–

Eating Out

Papeete

$281 12.3%

Arue

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Papeete

$272 11.9%

Arue

–

Clothing & Footwear

Papeete

$138 6%

Arue

–

Sport & Entertainment

Papeete

$113 4.9%

Arue

–

Getting Around

Papeete

$17 * 0.7%

Arue

–

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

Good to know

🇵🇫 Papeete

🇵🇫 Arue

🕒 Local time

01:37 1:37 AM

Same time as Papeete

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,050 Capital

10,000

💱 Currency

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Papeete Arue 5 km

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Papeete
Arue

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

Papeete vs Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 126% lower than in Papeete. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,426 in Papeete and $1,518 in Arue 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.

Shoppers in Papeete pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,284 per month in Papeete versus $1,012 in Arue – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,012 in Arue versus $2,284 in Papeete, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Papeete. The gap between the two cities makes Arue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Papeete and Arue 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 Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Papeete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.