Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,338 in Papeete versus $2,645 in Milan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,582 in Papeete versus $4,044 in Milan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,827 in Papeete versus $5,444 in Milan.

Living in Papeete costs roughly 12% less than in Milan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Papeete 70% above, Milan 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 CFPF 1,978

$24.76 €21.35

-22.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 CFPF 9,947

$97.3 €83.9

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 CFPF 1,596

$13.91 €12.00

11.79%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CFPF 367

$2.13 €1.84

67.61%

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

$2.82 CFPF 289

$4.02 €3.47

-29.85%

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

$6.89 €5.94

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CFPF 410

$6.96 €6.00

-42.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 157

$1.79 €1.54

-14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CFPF 279

$3.34 €2.88

-18.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CFPF 168

$3.78 €3.26

-56.61%

Eggs

$6.63 CFPF 680

$5.07 €4.37

30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.40 CFPF 3,017

$23.70 €20.44

24.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.81 CFPF 1,622

$15.03 €12.96

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.65 CFPF 2,838

$23.74 €20.47

16.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 CFPF 509

$3.22 €2.78

54.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 260

$2.55 €2.20

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.84 CFPF 702

$3.50 €3.01

95.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.10 CFPF 832

$4.59 €3.96

76.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 CFPF 294

$2.47 €2.13

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CFPF 242

$2.15 €1.85

9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 390

$1.84 €1.59

106.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CFPF 122

$0.60 €0.51

98.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.36 CFPF 1,371

$7.52 €6.49

77.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.65 CFPF 2,222

$9.35 €8.07

131.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CFPF 297

$2.05 €1.77

41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CFPF 331

$2.36 €2.04

36.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 CFPF 199

$2.49 €2.14

-22.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.79 CFPF 1,005

$8.07 €6.96

21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 155

$2.15 €1.85

-29.77%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$38.3K €33.0K

-49.48%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$37.7K €32.5K

-22.72%

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

$187 CFPF 19.2K

$267 €230

-29.92%

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

$20.53 CFPF 2,107

$10.89 €9.39

88.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 CFPF 7,480

$30.70 €26.47

137.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.8 CFPF 8,910

$88.4 €76.2

-1.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.37

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 CFPF 1,487

$12.87 €11.10

12.59%

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

$487 CFPF 50.0K

$862 €744

-43.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,807 CFPF 1.0M

$20.1K €17.3K

-51.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CFPF 7,356

$106 €91.8

-32.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 CFPF 7,650

$52.6 €45.34

41.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CFPF 8,470

$117 €101

-29.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 CFPF 9,385

$170 €147

-46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CFPF 142.5K

$1,740 €1,501

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CFPF 98.1K

$1,223 €1,054

-21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CFPF 193.9K

$3,638 €3,137

-48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CFPF 156.8K

$2,089 €1,801

-26.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,316 CFPF 750.8K

$11.1K €9,581

-34.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,648 CFPF 784.9K

$5,102 €4,400

49.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 CFPF 244.9K

$2,275 €1,962

4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.17

41.96%

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

Last update for Papeete: August 31, 2026

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Papeete and $1,740 in Milan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papeete pays 5% 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 $97.0 in Milan. Groceries flip the comparison at $541 vs $432, with Milan 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 Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Papeete is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Papeete, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,389 in Papeete versus $1,740 in Milan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Milan pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,338 per month in Papeete versus $2,645 in Milan – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,338 in Papeete versus $2,645 in Milan, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Papeete but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Papeete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Papeete is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Milan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Papeete and Milan 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 Papeete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.