Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Tahiti Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Tahiti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,338 per month in Papeete vs $896 in Tahiti, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,582 per month in Papeete vs $1,540 in Tahiti, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,827 per month in Papeete vs $2,185 in Tahiti, rent included.

Papeete costs about 161% more than Tahiti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Papeete sits 70% above the global median, while Tahiti is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 CFPF 1,973

$15.72 CFPF 1,609

22.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 CFPF 9,920

$57.2 CFPF 5,853

69.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 CFPF 1,592

$11.62 CFPF 1,189

33.82%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CFPF 366

$5.21 CFPF 533

-31.48%

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

$2.82 CFPF 288

$2.11 CFPF 216

33.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CFPF 344

$2.54 CFPF 260

32.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 CFPF 350

$7.02 CFPF 719

-51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CFPF 408

$6.83 CFPF 699

-41.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 157

$1.27 CFPF 131

20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CFPF 278

$3.85 CFPF 394

-29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CFPF 168

$1.27 CFPF 130

29.13%

Eggs

$6.63 CFPF 678

$7.57 CFPF 774

-12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.40 CFPF 3,009

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.81 CFPF 1,618

$14.33 CFPF 1,467

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.65 CFPF 2,830

$22.72 CFPF 2,325

21.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 CFPF 508

$6.14 CFPF 629

-19.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 259

$3.34 CFPF 342

-24.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.84 CFPF 700

$5.49 CFPF 562

24.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.10 CFPF 829

$7.94 CFPF 813

2.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 CFPF 293

$2.19 CFPF 225

30.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CFPF 241

$2.28 CFPF 234

3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 389

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CFPF 122

$0.87 CFPF 89.2

36.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.36 CFPF 1,367

Wine (Bottle)

$21.65 CFPF 2,216

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CFPF 296

$3.33 CFPF 341

-12.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CFPF 331

$3.77 CFPF 385

-14.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 CFPF 198

$1.75 CFPF 179

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.62 CFPF 1,496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.79 CFPF 1,002

$9.76 CFPF 999

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 CFPF 261

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 CFPF 2,489

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 154

$1.52 CFPF 156

-0.66%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$18.6K CFPF 1.9M

4.08%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$33.0K CFPF 3.4M

-11.67%

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

$187 CFPF 19.2K

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

$20.53 CFPF 2,101

$17.64 CFPF 1,806

16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 CFPF 7,459

$77.1 CFPF 7,891

-5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.8 CFPF 8,886

$53.6 CFPF 5,483

62.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 CFPF 1,483

$12.74 CFPF 1,303

13.74%

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

$487 CFPF 49.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,807 CFPF 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CFPF 7,336

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 CFPF 7,629

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CFPF 8,447

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 CFPF 9,360

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CFPF 142.1K

$1,083 CFPF 110.8K

28.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CFPF 97.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CFPF 193.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CFPF 156.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,316 CFPF 748.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,648 CFPF 782.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 CFPF 244.2K

$2,145 CFPF 219.5K

11.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.81

-6.44%

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

Last update for Papeete: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tahiti: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,389 in Papeete versus $1,083 in Tahiti. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Papeete, 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 $97.0 in Papeete versus $57.0 in Tahiti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $541 vs $385 – making Tahiti the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tahiti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Papeete is pricier by about 161%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,506 per month in Papeete and $1,344 in Tahiti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tahiti, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Papeete, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Papeete and $57.0 in Tahiti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tahiti, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Papeete at $2,338. In Tahiti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Papeete it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tahiti – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Tahiti. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Papeete makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.