Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Heerlen Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Heerlen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,338 in Papeete versus $2,206 in Heerlen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,582 in Papeete versus $3,482 in Heerlen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,827 in Papeete versus $4,757 in Heerlen.

Living in Papeete is roughly 6% more expensive than in Heerlen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Papeete 70% above, Heerlen 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 CFPF 1,978

$23.12 €19.94

-16.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 CFPF 9,947

$87.7 €75.6

10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 CFPF 1,596

$13.75 €11.86

13.09%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CFPF 367

$3.86 €3.33

-7.51%

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

$2.82 CFPF 289

$3.16 €2.72

-10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CFPF 345

$2.06 €1.78

63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 CFPF 351

$5.19 €4.48

-34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CFPF 410

$4.70 €4.06

-15.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 157

$1.35 €1.16

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CFPF 279

$2.50 €2.15

8.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CFPF 168

$2.59 €2.24

-36.68%

Eggs

$6.63 CFPF 680

$4.16 €3.59

59.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.40 CFPF 3,017

$11.94 €10.30

146.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.81 CFPF 1,622

$14.70 €12.68

7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.65 CFPF 2,838

$18.61 €16.05

48.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 CFPF 509

$2.46 €2.12

101.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 260

$2.47 €2.13

2.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.84 CFPF 702

$2.19 €1.89

212.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.10 CFPF 832

$4.48 €3.87

80.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 CFPF 294

$1.93 €1.66

48.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CFPF 242

$2.15 €1.85

9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 390

$1.42 €1.23

167.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CFPF 122

$0.82 €0.71

45.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.36 CFPF 1,371

$14.68 €12.66

-8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.65 CFPF 2,222

$7.26 €6.26

198.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CFPF 297

$1.49 €1.29

94.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CFPF 331

$2.65 €2.28

21.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 CFPF 199

$3.85 €3.32

-49.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 €54.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.79 CFPF 1,005

$6.36 €5.48

53.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 €1.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.42 €20.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 155

$2.31 €1.99

-34.63%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$30.3K €26.2K

-36.26%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$36.2K €31.2K

-19.57%

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

$187 CFPF 19.2K

$193 €167

-3.26%

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

$20.53 CFPF 2,107

$27.47 €23.69

-25.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 CFPF 7,480

$52.4 €45.19

39.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.8 CFPF 8,910

$36.64 €31.60

136.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.67 €24.73

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 CFPF 1,487

$13.73 €11.84

5.54%

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

$487 CFPF 50.0K

$694 €598

-29.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,807 CFPF 1.0M

$5,684 €4,902

72.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CFPF 7,356

$103 €88.7

-30.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 CFPF 7,650

$52.1 €44.92

43.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CFPF 8,470

$96.8 €83.5

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 CFPF 9,385

$191 €165

-52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CFPF 142.5K

$1,064 €918

30.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CFPF 98.1K

$918 €792

4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CFPF 193.9K

$1,963 €1,693

-3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CFPF 156.8K

$1,662 €1,434

-8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,316 CFPF 750.8K

$4,099 €3,535

78.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,648 CFPF 784.9K

$2,931 €2,528

160.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 CFPF 244.9K

$3,326 €2,868

-28.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.35

3.45%

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

Last update for Papeete: August 31, 2026

Last update for Heerlen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Papeete and $1,064 in Heerlen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Heerlen pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $97.0 in Papeete vs $88.0 in Heerlen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $342 per month, with Heerlen cheaper across the board.

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 Heerlen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Heerlen wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Papeete. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Heerlen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Heerlen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,389 in Papeete versus $1,064 in Heerlen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Papeete versus $694 in Heerlen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Heerlen – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $97.0 in Papeete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,206 in Heerlen versus $2,338 in Papeete, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Heerlen but tight or insufficient in Papeete. The gap between the two cities makes Heerlen 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 Heerlen 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 Heerlen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Papeete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.