Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Rarotonga: $1,099 a month against $1,456 in Pago Pago, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Rarotonga
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Rarotonga Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Rarotonga

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,099

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga and in Pago Pago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,099 in Rarotonga versus $1,456 in Pago Pago.

Rarotonga $1,099
Pago Pago $1,456

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Rarotonga versus $2,262 in Pago Pago.

Rarotonga $1,561
Pago Pago $2,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,023 in Rarotonga versus $3,068 in Pago Pago.

Rarotonga $2,023
Pago Pago $3,068

Living in Rarotonga costs roughly 24% less than in Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rarotonga is 18% below, Pago Pago is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.15 NZ$25.21

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 NZ$89.9

$36.18 $36.18

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 NZ$10.14

$10.07 $10.07

-43.50%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.19

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

$2.24 NZ$4.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NZ$4.11

$1.01 $1.01

128.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 NZ$8.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 NZ$8.84

$3.89 $3.89

27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.87 NZ$5.11

$2.59 $2.59

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 NZ$4.94

$2.82 $2.82

-1.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

Eggs

$6.19 NZ$11.02

$4.63 $4.63

33.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 NZ$13.32

$10.03 $10.03

-25.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 $9.83

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 NZ$19.92

$11.49 $11.49

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 NZ$20.01

$14.79 $14.79

-24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NZ$6.21

$0.99 $0.99

251.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 NZ$9.06

$2.88 $2.88

76.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 NZ$4.99

$2.03 $2.03

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 $124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.06 NZ$35.75

$5.07 $5.07

295.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.02 NZ$60.6

$29.49 $29.49

15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$3.10

$1.36 $1.36

27.94%

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

$11.2K NZ$20.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

-62.15%

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

$20.2K $20.2K

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

$100 NZ$179

$404 $404

-75.12%

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

$47.47 NZ$84.6

$30.11 $30.11

57.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 NZ$185

$76.3 $76.3

35.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.35 $49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.06 $10.06

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 $9.22

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

$989 $989

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,360 NZ$2,424

$9,838 $9,838

-86.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 $69.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 NZ$793

$327 $327

36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 NZ$806

$201 $201

124.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 NZ$1,219

$884 $884

-22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 NZ$1,111

$707 $707

-11.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K $10.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,906 NZ$6,961

$1,217 $1,217

220.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Rarotonga: October 5, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rarotonga

$452 40.6%

Pago Pago

$201 13.7% 55.5% $251

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rarotonga

$251 22.6%

Pago Pago

$510 34.7% 103% $259

Eating Out

Rarotonga

$225 20.2%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9% 81.3% $183

Groceries & Markets

Rarotonga

$154 * 13.8%

Pago Pago

$364 24.8% 137% $210

Getting Around

Rarotonga

$31 * 2.8%

Pago Pago

$147 10% 371% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Rarotonga

- * 0%

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Rarotonga

- * 0%

Pago Pago

$136 9.3%

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 $445 in Rarotonga and $327 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 221% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Rarotonga vs $36.00 in Pago Pago. Groceries flip the comparison at $154 vs $364, with Rarotonga cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇰 Rarotonga

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

02:18 2:18 AM

01:18 1:18 AM

1 h behind Rarotonga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,373

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.501 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.501 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rarotonga Pago Pago 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Rarotonga
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

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

Rarotonga wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Pago Pago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rarotonga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 221% higher in Rarotonga, 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: $445 in Rarotonga versus $327 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,099 per month in Rarotonga versus $1,456 in Pago Pago – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Pago Pago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,099 in Rarotonga versus $1,456 in Pago Pago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Pago Pago. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga 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, Rarotonga and Pago Pago 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 Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Pago Pago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.