Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Pohnpei

For one person, living is cheaper in Pohnpei: $1,667 a month against $1,966 in Thames, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Thames
Learn more

Thames Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
Learn more

Pohnpei Living Index

Jump to prices

Thames

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,966

/mo nomad

Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,667

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thames and in Pohnpei

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,966 in Thames versus $1,667 in Pohnpei.

Thames $1,966
Pohnpei $1,667

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,999 in Thames versus $2,527 in Pohnpei.

Thames $2,999
Pohnpei $2,527

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,032 in Thames versus $3,388 in Pohnpei.

Thames $4,032
Pohnpei $3,388

Living in Thames is roughly 18% more expensive than in Pohnpei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thames 46% above, Pohnpei 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 NZ$24.63

$11.38 $11.38

22.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 NZ$121

$44.31 $44.31

54.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 NZ$15.72

$7.36 $7.36

20.79%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NZ$6.06

$2.94 $2.94

16.33%

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

$2.02 NZ$3.57

$1.26 $1.26

60.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.08

$4.08 $4.08

-57.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 NZ$12.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 NZ$11.90

$3.02 $3.02

122.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.31

$0.25 $0.25

648.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 NZ$3.93

$3.40 $3.40

-34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.16

$3.10 $3.10

-42.26%

Eggs

$6.20 NZ$10.97

$7.27 $7.27

-14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 NZ$15.55

$6.94 $6.94

26.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$17.11

$4.87 $4.87

98.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 NZ$29.74

$11.31 $11.31

48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.95

$5.82 $5.82

-51.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.82

$3.60 $3.60

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 NZ$5.14

$5.47 $5.47

-46.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 NZ$10.17

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.77

$5.10 $5.10

-58.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 NZ$2.69

$4.95 $4.95

-69.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.50

$3.77 $3.77

-47.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NZ$1.84

$0.98 $0.98

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.57 NZ$46.99

$8.98 $8.98

195.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 NZ$18.12

$2.92 $2.92

251.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$5.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.98

$2.41 $2.41

40.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 NZ$2.56

$1.02 $1.02

42.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 NZ$133

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 NZ$4.06

$5.05 $5.05

-54.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.40

$1.22 $1.22

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.20 NZ$56.9

$4.05 $4.05

695.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.31

$3.81 $3.81

-50.92%

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

$25.1K NZ$44.5K

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

$21.7K NZ$38.4K

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

$183 NZ$324

$134 $134

37.06%

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

$26.20 NZ$46.33

$39.58 $39.58

-33.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 NZ$89.6

$200 $200

-74.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 NZ$74.0

$20.18 $20.18

107.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.10 $49.10

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 NZ$23.17

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

$1,135 NZ$2,007

$168 $168

574.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K NZ$34.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 NZ$140

$78.4 $78.4

0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.93 NZ$70.6

$69.2 $69.2

-42.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 NZ$163

$110 $110

-16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 NZ$197

$97.9 $97.9

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 NZ$1,645

$907 $907

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 NZ$1,451

$630 $630

30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 NZ$2,624

$1,580 $1,580

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 NZ$2,629

$1,208 $1,208

23.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,552 NZ$8,050

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,773 NZ$6,673

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 $349

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

360000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Thames: October 11, 2026

Last update for Pohnpei: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Thames

$821 41.7%

Pohnpei

$630 37.8% 23.3% $191

Groceries & Markets

Thames

$337 17.1%

Pohnpei

$292 * 17.5% 13.2% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thames

$260 13.2%

Pohnpei

$373 22.4% 43.4% $113

Eating Out

Thames

$242 12.3%

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6% 27.4% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Thames

$145 7.4%

Pohnpei

$160 9.6% 10.2% $15

Getting Around

Thames

$93 4.7%

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9% 83.7% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Thames

$68 3.5%

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2% 70.3% $48

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 $930 in Thames and $907 in Pohnpei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Thames vs $44.00 in Pohnpei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $292 per month, with Pohnpei cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Thames

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

08:48 8:48 AM

2 h behind Thames

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,500

34,486

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Thames Pohnpei 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Thames
Pohnpei

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

Thames vs Pohnpei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pohnpei is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,949 in Thames and $2,500 in Pohnpei 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $930 in Thames versus $907 in Pohnpei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Thames. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,966 per month in Thames versus $1,667 in Pohnpei – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,667 in Pohnpei versus $1,966 in Thames, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Pohnpei but tight or insufficient in Thames. The gap between the two cities makes Pohnpei 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, Thames and Pohnpei 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 Pohnpei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.