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: $2,295 in Papeete versus $2,259 in Heerlen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Papeete versus $3,485 in Heerlen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,593 in Papeete versus $4,712 in Heerlen.

Living in Papeete is roughly 2% more expensive than in Heerlen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Papeete 72% above, Heerlen 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 CFPF 1,815

$22.95 €20.05

-23.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 CFPF 8,561

$85.3 €74.5

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 CFPF 1,260

$13.74 €12.00

-11.86%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CFPF 406

$3.97 €3.47

-1.76%

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

$3.44 CFPF 358

$2.94 €2.57

17.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CFPF 281

$2.10 €1.84

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 CFPF 301

$6.35 €5.55

-54.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CFPF 414

$3.74 €3.27

6.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 157

$1.27 €1.11

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 CFPF 79.1

$2.52 €2.20

-69.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 175

$2.90 €2.53

-42.07%

Eggs

$6.41 CFPF 667

$4.02 €3.51

59.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.40 CFPF 2,643

$11.97 €10.45

112.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.68 CFPF 1,735

$14.76 €12.89

13.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.72 CFPF 2,780

$17.50 €15.29

52.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 CFPF 534

$2.32 €2.03

121.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CFPF 237

$2.48 €2.16

-8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 CFPF 612

$2.08 €1.81

182.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.68 CFPF 799

$4.40 €3.84

74.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CFPF 303

$1.92 €1.67

51.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CFPF 270

$2.00 €1.75

29.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.97 CFPF 413

$1.29 €1.13

207.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 121

$0.81 €0.71

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 CFPF 1,234

$14.35 €12.54

-17.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.16 CFPF 2,202

$6.90 €6.03

206.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CFPF 203

$1.43 €1.25

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CFPF 332

$2.73 €2.39

16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 207

$3.81 €3.33

-47.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 €74.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 CFPF 987

$7.31 €6.39

29.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 €2.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CFPF 165

$2.25 €1.97

-29.78%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$30.0K €26.2K

-35.69%

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

$29.5K CFPF 3.1M

$29.4K €25.7K

0.14%

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

$183 CFPF 19.1K

$209 €183

-12.38%

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

$17.68 CFPF 1,840

$28.92 €25.27

-38.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CFPF 6,457

$52.9 €46.24

17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 CFPF 8,033

$36.08 €31.52

113.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.88 €25.23

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 CFPF 1,531

$13.80 €12.06

6.59%

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

$493 CFPF 51.3K

$1,073 €938

-54.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,750 CFPF 1.0M

$11.6K €10.1K

-16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 CFPF 8,169

$105 €92.0

-25.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.3 CFPF 8,558

$52.3 €45.73

57.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 CFPF 7,931

$97.4 €85.1

-21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 CFPF 9,556

$157 €137

-41.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 CFPF 126.8K

$1,026 €897

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 CFPF 101.0K

$903 €789

7.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 CFPF 199.6K

$1,988 €1,737

-3.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 CFPF 159.7K

$1,665 €1,454

-7.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,591 CFPF 893.9K

$4,019 €3,512

113.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,309 CFPF 656.4K

$2,800 €2,447

125.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,387 CFPF 248.3K

$3,224 €2,817

-25.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

38.89%

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

Last update for Papeete: July 13, 2026

Last update for Heerlen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Papeete and $1,026 in Heerlen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Heerlen pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Papeete vs $85.0 in Heerlen. Groceries flip the comparison at $498 vs $336, with Heerlen cheaper for home cooking.

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 2% 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 35% 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: $1,219 in Papeete versus $1,026 in Heerlen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $493 in Papeete versus $1,073 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 $85.0 versus $82.0 in Papeete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,259 in Heerlen versus $2,295 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 2% less than in Papeete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.