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: $999 in Samoa versus $789 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Samoa versus $1,193 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Samoa versus $1,597 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.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.7 WST 146

$15.84 CFPF 1,625

239.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 WST 98.8

$81.2 CFPF 8,329

-55.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 WST 38.35

$12.08 CFPF 1,239

16.56%

Cappuccino

$2.51 WST 6.83

$4.44 CFPF 455

-43.47%

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

$2.10 WST 5.73

$2.67 CFPF 274

-21.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 WST 3.47

$2.11 CFPF 216

-39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 WST 11.59

$4.87 CFPF 500

-12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 WST 9.54

$4.93 CFPF 506

-29.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 WST 5.00

$1.50 CFPF 154

22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 WST 2.10

$2.76 CFPF 283

-72.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.76

$1.68 CFPF 172

4.17%

Eggs

$4.11 WST 11.20

$7.17 CFPF 735

-42.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.92 WST 2.49

$38.65 CFPF 3,966

-97.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 WST 9.81

$16.50 CFPF 1,693

-78.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 WST 22.41

$26.66 CFPF 2,735

-69.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 WST 13.45

$5.68 CFPF 583

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 4.97

$2.49 CFPF 255

-26.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.95

$6.94 CFPF 712

-73.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 WST 11.74

$7.77 CFPF 797

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 WST 9.49

$2.93 CFPF 300

18.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 WST 2.99

$2.71 CFPF 278

-59.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 396

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.25

$1.17 CFPF 120

1.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 WST 16.46

$11.90 CFPF 1,221

-49.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 WST 44.39

$24.41 CFPF 2,504

-33.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 WST 4.91

$2.55 CFPF 262

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 WST 9.51

$4.78 CFPF 491

-26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.52

$1.99 CFPF 205

75.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 WST 14.91

$9.91 CFPF 1,017

-44.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.53 WST 58.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.84

$1.57 CFPF 161

-33.76%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

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

$17.93 WST 48.84

$178 CFPF 18.3K

-89.94%

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

$17.66 WST 48.10

$17.55 CFPF 1,801

0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 WST 97.4

$103 CFPF 10.5K

-65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,749

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,832

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,494

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

$479 CFPF 49.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 WST 139

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

-48.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 WST 108

$87.0 CFPF 8,927

-54.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 WST 207

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 WST 271

$110 CFPF 11.2K

-9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 WST 958

$1,322 CFPF 135.7K

-73.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 WST 408

$1,095 CFPF 112.3K

-86.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 WST 1,925

$2,149 CFPF 220.5K

-67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 WST 3,091

$1,854 CFPF 190.3K

-38.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 900.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 812.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 198.5K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 84% 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 $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $999 in Samoa, there's a 15% 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, $1,000 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.