Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohnpei and Waihi

For one person, living is cheaper in Pohnpei: $1,667 a month against $1,911 in Waihi, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Waihi
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Waihi Living Index

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Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,667

/mo nomad

Waihi

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,911

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohnpei and in Waihi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,667 in Pohnpei versus $1,911 in Waihi.

Pohnpei $1,667
Waihi $1,911

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Pohnpei versus $2,937 in Waihi.

Pohnpei $2,527
Waihi $2,937

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,388 in Pohnpei versus $3,963 in Waihi.

Pohnpei $3,388
Waihi $3,963

Living in Pohnpei costs roughly 13% less than in Waihi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pohnpei 23% above, Waihi 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 $11.38

$12.00 NZ$21.22

-5.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 $44.31

$59.7 NZ$105

-25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 $7.36

$8.35 NZ$14.77

-11.86%

Cappuccino

$2.94 $2.94

$3.69 NZ$6.53

-20.33%

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

$1.26 $1.26

$2.22 NZ$3.92

-43.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.04 NZ$3.61

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 NZ$10.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$6.49 NZ$11.47

-53.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.25 $0.25

$1.93 NZ$3.41

-87.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.78 NZ$3.16

91.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.62 NZ$2.86

91.36%

Eggs

$7.27 $7.27

$5.12 NZ$9.06

41.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$9.35 NZ$16.53

-25.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$8.53 NZ$15.09

-42.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.31 $11.31

$12.78 NZ$22.60

-11.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.80 NZ$4.95

107.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.25 NZ$3.98

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.16 NZ$5.59

73.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 NZ$10.36

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.97 NZ$3.49

158.88%

Onion (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.58 NZ$2.79

213.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.32 NZ$4.10

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.12 NZ$1.97

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 $8.98

$22.08 NZ$39.04

-59.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$9.83 NZ$17.38

-70.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 NZ$5.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.14 NZ$5.55

-23.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.93 NZ$3.41

-47.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 NZ$151

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.96 NZ$3.47

157.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.99 NZ$3.53

-38.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$27.15 NZ$48.02

-85.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.72 NZ$3.04

121.51%

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

$21.9K NZ$38.7K

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

$19.8K NZ$35.0K

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

$134 $134

$117 NZ$206

14.78%

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

$39.58 $39.58

$31.18 NZ$55.1

26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$200 $200

$56.0 NZ$99.1

256.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.18 $20.18

$35.97 NZ$63.6

-43.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.10 $49.10

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 NZ$20.02

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

$168 $168

$647 NZ$1,144

-73.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NZ$29.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 $78.4

$56.9 NZ$101

37.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 $69.2

$38.94 NZ$68.9

77.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$106 NZ$187

4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 $97.9

$108 NZ$190

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 $907

$1,031 NZ$1,823

-12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$865 NZ$1,530

-27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 $1,580

$1,621 NZ$2,867

-2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 $1,208

$1,616 NZ$2,858

-25.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,404 NZ$7,789

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,353 NZ$5,929

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 $349

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

360000

5.57

6463095.69%

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

Last update for Pohnpei: October 12, 2026

Last update for Waihi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohnpei

$630 37.8%

Waihi

$865 45.3% 37.4% $235

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohnpei

$373 22.4%

Waihi

$204 10.7% 45.4% $170

Groceries & Markets

Pohnpei

$292 * 17.5%

Waihi

$315 16.5% 7.9% $23

Eating Out

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6%

Waihi

$224 11.7% 27.4% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Pohnpei

$160 9.6%

Waihi

$139 7.3% 13.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2%

Waihi

$59 3.1% 190% $38

Getting Around

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9%

Waihi

$105 5.5% 589% $90

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 $907 in Pohnpei and $1,031 in Waihi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Pohnpei vs $60.0 in Waihi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $315 per month, with Pohnpei cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🇳🇿 Waihi

🕒 Local time

11:08 11:08 AM

13:08 1:08 PM

2 h ahead of Pohnpei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,486

4,700

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

NZD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Pohnpei Waihi 5,250 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Pohnpei
Waihi

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 Waihi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pohnpei is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,500 in Pohnpei and $2,866 in Waihi 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: $907 in Pohnpei versus $1,031 in Waihi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Waihi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,667 per month in Pohnpei versus $1,911 in Waihi – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,667 in Pohnpei versus $1,911 in Waihi, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Pohnpei but tight or insufficient in Waihi. The gap between the two cities makes Pohnpei 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, Pohnpei and Waihi 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 Pohnpei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Waihi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.