Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and Tonga Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and Tonga

Name: Tonga
Address: TO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Samoa versus $336 in Tonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Samoa versus $623 in Tonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Samoa versus $909 in Tonga.

Living in Samoa is roughly 198% more expensive than Tonga on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Samoa 25% lower, Tonga 75% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Samoa: monthly costs span $1,000 to $1,000, compared to $0–$1,007 in Tonga. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.8 WST 145

$8.15 TOP 19.48

559.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.26 WST 95.2

$62.3 TOP 149

-43.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 WST 36.78

$10.22 TOP 24.43

33.27%

Cappuccino

$2.43 WST 6.57

$2.92 TOP 6.99

-16.78%

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

$2.07 WST 5.59

$2.77 TOP 6.61

-25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 WST 3.54

$2.48 TOP 5.93

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 WST 11.30

$3.23 TOP 7.71

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 WST 9.62

$4.92 TOP 11.75

-27.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 WST 4.76

$1.52 TOP 3.64

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 WST 2.20

$1.03 TOP 2.45

-20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$2.08 TOP 4.97

-12.50%

Eggs

$4.31 WST 11.64

$4.98 TOP 11.91

-13.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.86 WST 2.32

$9.03 TOP 21.59

-90.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 WST 9.52

$5.76 TOP 13.76

-38.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 WST 21.58

$7.74 TOP 18.50

3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 WST 13.15

$2.82 TOP 6.73

72.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 WST 4.77

$2.82 TOP 6.75

-37.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.74

$2.86 TOP 6.82

-38.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 WST 11.45

$3.66 TOP 8.76

15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 WST 9.46

$3.09 TOP 7.39

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 WST 2.82

$2.60 TOP 6.21

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 TOP 5.37

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 WST 3.10

$1.40 TOP 3.34

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 WST 16.15

$9.99 TOP 23.87

-40.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 WST 43.78

$17.18 TOP 41.06

-5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$3.14 TOP 7.49

-42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 WST 9.54

$3.33 TOP 7.96

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.42

$2.04 TOP 4.88

71.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.20 TOP 98.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 WST 14.15

$2.11 TOP 5.03

148.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.25 WST 57.4

$41.98 TOP 100

-49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 WST 2.83

$1.49 TOP 3.57

-29.53%

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

$5,702 TOP 13.6K

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

$8,225 TOP 19.7K

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

$18.17 WST 49.07

$184 TOP 441

-90.14%

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

$18.10 WST 48.87

$22.08 TOP 52.8

-18.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 WST 95.4

$125 TOP 298

-71.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.36 TOP 75.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.32 TOP 98.7

Cinema Ticket

$41.41 TOP 99.0

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

$157 TOP 375

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$250 TOP 599

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 WST 135

$14.32 TOP 34.23

248.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 WST 109

$17.51 TOP 41.85

130.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 WST 199

$20.86 TOP 49.86

254.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 WST 273

$29.53 TOP 70.6

242.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 WST 933

$614 TOP 1,468

-43.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 WST 398

$50.8 TOP 122

189.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 WST 1,907

$842 TOP 2,012

-16.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 WST 3,120

$573 TOP 1,369

101.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$411 TOP 983

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$249 TOP 596

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 TOP 1,625

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

Last update for Samoa: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tonga: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $0 in Samoa, $204 in Tonga. Capital cities: $0 in Apia vs $611 in Nuku'alofa.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 71% 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 Tonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,000 per month in Samoa and $504 in Tonga, there's a 99% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Tonga, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Samoa, 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. Tonga wins on affordability; Samoa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.