Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Punaauia and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Punaauia: $13.65 a month against $1,479 in Pago Pago, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
Learn more

Pago Pago Living Index

Jump to prices

Punaauia

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$13.65

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,479

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Punaauia and in Pago Pago

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $13.65 in Punaauia versus $1,479 in Pago Pago.

Punaauia $13.65
Pago Pago $1,479

Estimated couple costs with rent: $24 in Punaauia versus $2,291 in Pago Pago.

Punaauia $24
Pago Pago $2,291

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $34 in Punaauia versus $3,102 in Pago Pago.

Punaauia $34
Pago Pago $3,102

Living in Punaauia costs roughly 99% less than in Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Punaauia is 99% below, Pago Pago is 9% above.

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.28 $36.28

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 CFPF 145

$2.62 $2.62

-47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

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

$30.2K $30.2K

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

$19.7K $19.7K

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

$411 $411

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

$29.94 $29.94

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 $50.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 $10.12

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 $8.75

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

$994 $994

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 $69.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 $79.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 $99.1

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 $326

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 $202

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 $706

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.5K $17.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K $10.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,194 $1,194

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Punaauia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$515 34.8%

Groceries & Markets

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$368 24.9%

Accommodation & Living

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$202 13.7%

Getting Around

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$149 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$135 9.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Eating Out

Punaauia

–

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.8%

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

Good to know

🇵🇫 Punaauia

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

03:21 3:21 AM

1 h behind Punaauia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,399

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

CFP Franc XPF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XPF = 9.43 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.4 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 CFP Franc (Fr)

CFP Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.43 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.4 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to XPF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Punaauia Pago Pago 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Punaauia
Pago Pago

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

Punaauia vs Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punaauia wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Pago Pago. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Punaauia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $20 in Punaauia and $2,218 in Pago Pago 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2597% higher in Pago Pago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $13.65 per month in Punaauia versus $1,479 in Pago Pago – Punaauia is about 99% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $13.65 in Punaauia versus $1,479 in Pago Pago, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Punaauia but tight or insufficient in Pago Pago. The gap between the two cities makes Punaauia 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, Punaauia and Pago Pago are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.