Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohnpei and Yap

For one person, living is cheaper in Pohnpei: $1,662 a month against $1,894 in Yap, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Yap outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index

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Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,662

/mo nomad

Yap

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohnpei and in Yap

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Pohnpei versus $1,894 in Yap.

Pohnpei $1,662
Yap $1,894

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,526 in Pohnpei versus $2,471 in Yap.

Pohnpei $2,526
Yap $2,471

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,390 in Pohnpei versus $3,049 in Yap.

Pohnpei $3,390
Yap $3,049

Living in Pohnpei costs roughly 12% less than in Yap, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pohnpei 22% above, Yap 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 $11.42

$29.87 $29.87

-61.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.11 $45.11

$59.1 $59.1

-23.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 $7.55

Cappuccino

$2.94 $2.94

$4.42 $4.42

-33.48%

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

$1.21 $1.21

$1.74 $1.74

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

Milk (1 liter)

$0.25 $0.25

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$5.85 $5.85

-43.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.30 $4.30

-30.70%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 $7.21

$5.29 $5.29

36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$6.04 $6.04

93.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.53 $4.53

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.40 $4.40

-19.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.31 $4.31

25.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.31 $5.31

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.66 $1.66

205.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 $3.83

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.46 $1.46

-32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

Wine (Bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.04 $3.04

-22.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.98 $0.98

-1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.62 $21.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$7.40 $7.40

-33.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$5.08 $5.08

-19.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.49 $1.49

144.30%

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

$4,019 $4,019

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

$3,997 $3,997

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

$134 $134

$80.5 $80.5

66.26%

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

$39.34 $39.34

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$200 $200

$81.5 $81.5

145.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.08 $20.08

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

$24.18 $24.18

233.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 $66.9

$75.6 $75.6

-11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$80.6 $80.6

36.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 $97.9

$121 $121

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 $890

$991 $991

-10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

$1,004 $1,004

-37.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,016 $1,016

55.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$981 $981

22.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,471 $1,471

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 $1,006

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 $352

$262 $262

34.47%

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 Yap: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohnpei

$625 37.6%

Yap

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohnpei

$373 22.5%

Yap

–

Groceries & Markets

Pohnpei

$293 * 17.6%

Yap

–

Eating Out

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6%

Yap

–

Clothing & Footwear

Pohnpei

$160 9.6%

Yap

–

Sport & Entertainment

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2%

Yap

–

Getting Around

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9%

Yap

–

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 $991 in Yap. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pohnpei pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45 in Pohnpei vs $59 in Yap. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $261, with Yap cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Yap

🕒 Local time

10:45 10:45 AM

09:45 9:45 AM

1 h behind Pohnpei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,486

11,577

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Pohnpei Yap 2,230 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Pohnpei
Yap

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 Yap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pohnpei is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Pohnpei, 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: $890 in Pohnpei versus $991 in Yap. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Yap pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pohnpei – a meal for two runs $45 versus $59 in Yap. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Pohnpei gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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