Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohnpei and Palikir

For one person, living is cheaper in Palikir: $1,039 a month against $1,662 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pohnpei outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

80

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Palikir
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Palikir Living Index

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Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,662

/mo nomad

Palikir

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,039

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohnpei and in Palikir

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 Palikir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,662 per month in Pohnpei vs $1,039 in Palikir, rent included.

Pohnpei $1,662
Palikir $1,039

A couple spends around $2,526 per month in Pohnpei vs $1,593 in Palikir, rent included.

Pohnpei $2,526
Palikir $1,593

A family of three spends $3,390 per month in Pohnpei vs $2,146 in Palikir, rent included.

Pohnpei $3,390
Palikir $2,146

Pohnpei costs about 60% more than Palikir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Pohnpei sits 22% above the global median, while Palikir is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 $11.42

$30.48 $30.48

-62.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.11 $45.11

$45.23 $45.23

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 $7.55

$5.83 $5.83

29.50%

Cappuccino

$2.94 $2.94

$3.05 $3.05

-3.61%

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

$1.21 $1.21

$1.12 $1.12

8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.03 $2.03

92.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 $1.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.05 $2.05

44.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.20 $0.20

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.16 $2.16

51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.24 $2.24

33.04%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$2.37 $2.37

202.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 $7.21

$4.29 $4.29

68.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$4.43 $4.43

13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$6.79 $6.79

72.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.61 $3.61

67.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.56 $2.56

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.18 $2.18

147.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.35 $3.35

45.37%

Onion (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.23 $2.23

127.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.85 $1.85

107.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.13 $1.13

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

$17.70 $17.70

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$6.57 $6.57

-54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.43 $1.43

65.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.78 $0.78

24.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.18 $34.18

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$6.23 $6.23

-21.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.66 $1.66

-24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.82 $4.82

-14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.03 $3.03

20.13%

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

$3,934 $3,934

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

$3,955 $3,955

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

$134 $134

$39.72 $39.72

236.78%

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

$39.34 $39.34

$14.89 $14.89

164.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$200 $200

$267 $267

-25.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.08 $20.08

$41.68 $41.68

-51.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.0 $50.0

$19.60 $19.60

155.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 $6.81

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

$171 $171

$116 $116

47.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,655 $1,655

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 $80.6

$20.17 $20.17

299.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 $66.9

$25.31 $25.31

164.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$71.2 $71.2

53.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 $97.9

$54.0 $54.0

81.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 $890

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$849 $849

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$694 $694

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 $352

$245 $245

43.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

360000

380000

-5.26%

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

Last update for Pohnpei: October 24, 2026

Last update for Palikir: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohnpei

$625 37.6%

Palikir

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohnpei

$373 22.5%

Palikir

$322 31% 13.8% $52

Groceries & Markets

Pohnpei

$293 * 17.6%

Palikir

$213 20.5% 27.3% $80

Eating Out

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6%

Palikir

$320 30.8% 81.9% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Pohnpei

$160 9.6%

Palikir

$77 7.4% 51.9% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2%

Palikir

$55 5.3% 175% $35

Getting Around

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9%

Palikir

$52 5% 244% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 44% higher in Pohnpei, 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 $45 in Pohnpei versus $45 in Palikir. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Pohnpei vs $213 in Palikir – so Palikir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Palikir

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

Same time as Pohnpei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,486

6,942 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Pohnpei Palikir 9 km

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Pohnpei
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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 Palikir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,662 in Pohnpei, $1,039 in Palikir – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,493 per month in Pohnpei and $1,558 in Palikir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $171 per month in Pohnpei and $116 in Palikir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,662 in Pohnpei and $1,039 in Palikir. That’s a gap of about 60%.

$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,662 in Pohnpei and $1,039 in Palikir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Pohnpei has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,039 in Palikir to $1,662 in Pohnpei. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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