Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohnpei and Kolonia

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolonia: $1,511 a month against $1,662 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
Learn more

Pohnpei Living Index

Jump to prices

Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,662

/mo nomad

Kolonia

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohnpei and in Kolonia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Pohnpei versus $1,511 in Kolonia.

Pohnpei $1,662
Kolonia $1,511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,526 in Pohnpei versus $2,267 in Kolonia.

Pohnpei $2,526
Kolonia $2,267

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,390 in Pohnpei versus $3,022 in Kolonia.

Pohnpei $3,390
Kolonia $3,022

Living in Pohnpei is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kolonia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pohnpei 22% above, Kolonia 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 $11.42

$10.17 $10.17

12.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.11 $45.11

$24.73 $24.73

82.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 $7.55

$9.86 $9.86

-23.43%

Cappuccino

$2.94 $2.94

$4.42 $4.42

-33.48%

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

$1.21 $1.21

$0.98 $0.98

23.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 $1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.98 $1.98

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.25 $0.25

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.97 $1.97

66.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.21 $1.21

146.28%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$7.18 $7.18

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 $7.21

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$24.12 $24.12

-79.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$66.3 $66.3

-82.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.67 $6.67

-9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.14 $2.14

65.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.76 $6.76

-20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$13.15 $13.15

-62.97%

Onion (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.85 $5.85

-34.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.98 $1.98

-50.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

Wine (Bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$8.98 $8.98

-66.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.52 $1.52

55.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.40 $1.40

160.00%

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

$134 $134

$197 $197

-32.08%

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

$39.34 $39.34

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$200 $200

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.08 $20.08

$14.99 $14.99

33.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.0 $50.0

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

$171 $171

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 $80.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 $66.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 $97.9

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 $890

$695 $695

28.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

$504 $504

23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,017 $1,017

55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$810 $810

48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 $352

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

360000

400000

-10.00%

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

Last update for Pohnpei: October 24, 2026

Last update for Kolonia: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohnpei

$625 37.6%

Kolonia

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohnpei

$373 22.5%

Kolonia

–

Groceries & Markets

Pohnpei

$293 * 17.6%

Kolonia

–

Eating Out

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6%

Kolonia

–

Clothing & Footwear

Pohnpei

$160 9.6%

Kolonia

–

Sport & Entertainment

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2%

Kolonia

–

Getting Around

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9%

Kolonia

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $890 in Pohnpei and $695 in Kolonia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45 in Pohnpei vs $25 in Kolonia. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $617, with Pohnpei cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Kolonia

🕒 Local time

15:44 3:44 PM

Same time as Pohnpei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,486

6,074

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pohnpei Kolonia 9 km

From you

Pohnpei
Kolonia

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

Pohnpei vs Kolonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolonia wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Pohnpei. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kolonia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $2,493 in Pohnpei and $2,267 in Kolonia 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $890 in Pohnpei versus $695 in Kolonia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,662 per month in Pohnpei versus $1,511 in Kolonia – Kolonia is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Shoppers in Pohnpei pay roughly 52% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Kolonia is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Pohnpei and Kolonia are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.