Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and French Polynesia

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Samoa versus $787 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Samoa versus $1,196 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Samoa versus $1,604 in French Polynesia.

Living in Samoa is roughly 27% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Samoa 25% lower, French Polynesia 41% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Samoa: monthly costs span $1,000 to $1,000, compared to $0–$2,251 in French Polynesia. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.8 WST 145

$15.81 CFPF 1,610

240.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.26 WST 95.2

$79.7 CFPF 8,111

-55.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 WST 36.78

$11.93 CFPF 1,214

14.17%

Cappuccino

$2.43 WST 6.57

$4.38 CFPF 446

-44.52%

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

$2.07 WST 5.59

$2.66 CFPF 270

-22.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 WST 3.54

$2.21 CFPF 225

-40.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 WST 11.30

$5.04 CFPF 513

-17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 WST 9.62

$4.77 CFPF 486

-25.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 WST 4.76

$1.50 CFPF 152

17.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 WST 2.20

$2.86 CFPF 291

-71.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$1.66 CFPF 169

9.64%

Eggs

$4.31 WST 11.64

$7.37 CFPF 751

-41.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.86 WST 2.32

$38.55 CFPF 3,924

-97.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 WST 9.52

$17.05 CFPF 1,736

-79.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 WST 21.58

$27.36 CFPF 2,785

-70.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 WST 13.15

$5.38 CFPF 548

-9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 WST 4.77

$2.40 CFPF 244

-26.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.74

$6.83 CFPF 696

-74.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 WST 11.45

$7.84 CFPF 798

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 WST 9.46

$3.05 CFPF 311

14.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 WST 2.82

$2.73 CFPF 278

-61.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.93 CFPF 400

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 WST 3.10

$1.12 CFPF 114

2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 WST 16.15

$12.05 CFPF 1,226

-50.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 WST 43.78

$24.51 CFPF 2,495

-33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$2.55 CFPF 260

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 WST 9.54

$4.59 CFPF 467

-23.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.42

$1.92 CFPF 195

81.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 WST 14.15

$9.91 CFPF 1,008

-47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.25 WST 57.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 WST 2.83

$1.59 CFPF 162

-33.96%

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

$19.1K CFPF 1.9M

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

$28.9K CFPF 2.9M

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

$18.17 WST 49.07

$184 CFPF 18.7K

-90.12%

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

$18.10 WST 48.87

$17.61 CFPF 1,792

2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 WST 95.4

$106 CFPF 10.8K

-66.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 CFPF 7,471

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.55 CFPF 1,786

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 CFPF 1,495

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

$477 CFPF 48.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,768 CFPF 994.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 WST 135

$98.0 CFPF 9,970

-49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 WST 109

$84.4 CFPF 8,588

-52.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 WST 199

$110 CFPF 11.2K

-33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 WST 273

$107 CFPF 10.9K

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 WST 933

$1,313 CFPF 133.6K

-73.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 WST 398

$1,100 CFPF 112.0K

-86.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 WST 1,907

$2,107 CFPF 214.4K

-66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 WST 3,120

$1,840 CFPF 187.3K

-37.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,564 CFPF 871.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,932 CFPF 807.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 CFPF 200.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

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

Last update for Samoa: April 20, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $0 in Samoa, $537 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $0 in Apia vs $1,232 in Papeete.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 89% more in Samoa.

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

Samoa vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,126 per month in French Polynesia and $1,000 in Samoa, there's a 13% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Samoa is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in French Polynesia beats Samoa across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Samoa, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In French Polynesia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Samoa wins on affordability; French Polynesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.