Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and French Polynesia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,365 in United Kingdom versus $790 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in United Kingdom versus $1,187 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,575 in United Kingdom versus $1,583 in French Polynesia.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 199% more expensive than in French Polynesia on average.

United Kingdom (78% above) and French Polynesia (41% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.15 £15.08
$16.13 CFPF 1,687
24.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.5 £66.2
$79.8 CFPF 8,340
10.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.33 £7.73
$12.34 CFPF 1,290
-16.29%
Cappuccino
$4.53 £3.39
$4.52 CFPF 473
0.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 £1.78
$2.76 CFPF 288
-13.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 £1.27
$2.20 CFPF 230
-22.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.95
$4.95 CFPF 518
33.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.24 £4.67
$4.99 CFPF 522
25.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 £1.23
$1.45 CFPF 151
13.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 £1.25
$2.75 CFPF 288
-39.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 £1.66
$1.70 CFPF 178
30.59%
Eggs
$3.98 £2.98
$7.20 CFPF 752
-44.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.60 £7.18
$39.16 CFPF 4,094
-75.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.15 £6.85
$16.80 CFPF 1,757
-45.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.94 £10.43
$26.82 CFPF 2,804
-48.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 £2.20
$5.57 CFPF 582
-47.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 £1.25
$2.37 CFPF 248
-29.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.14
$6.86 CFPF 717
-58.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.44 £2.58
$7.80 CFPF 815
-55.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 £1.27
$3.03 CFPF 317
-43.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$2.69 CFPF 281
-40.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 £0.84
$3.82 CFPF 399
-70.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 £1.14
$1.11 CFPF 116
36.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.60 £15.41
$12.14 CFPF 1,269
69.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.60 £7.93
$24.27 CFPF 2,537
-56.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 £2.15
$2.57 CFPF 269
11.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.45
$4.65 CFPF 487
-29.68%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.23 £2.42
$1.99 CFPF 208
62.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.3 £69.8
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.28 £3.95
$9.98 CFPF 1,044
-47.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 £1.14
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.79 £20.04
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 £1.48
$1.52 CFPF 159
30.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.9K £28.3K
$19.7K CFPF 2.1M
92.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.3K
$28.6K CFPF 3.0M
41.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$325 £243
$179 CFPF 18.7K
81.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.63 £13.19
$17.68 CFPF 1,848
-0.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.17 £31.55
$106 CFPF 11.1K
-60.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.93 £34.36
$73.3 CFPF 7,660
-37.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.86 £11.87
$17.52 CFPF 1,832
-9.47%
Cinema Ticket
$13.36 £10.00
$14.32 CFPF 1,498
-6.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,736 £1,299
$485 CFPF 50.7K
257.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K £16.0K
$9,864 CFPF 1.0M
116.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8 £67.9
$99.1 CFPF 10.4K
-8.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.24 £33.85
$84.7 CFPF 8,851
-46.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £76.6
$108 CFPF 11.3K
-5.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.2
$108 CFPF 11.3K
-6.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,412 £1,057
$1,306 CFPF 136.5K
8.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 £840
$1,084 CFPF 113.3K
3.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,367 £1,770
$2,102 CFPF 219.8K
12.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,827 £1,367
$1,869 CFPF 195.4K
-2.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,662 £4,235
$8,452 CFPF 883.7K
-33.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,424 £3,309
$7,640 CFPF 798.8K
-42.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,238 £2,422
$1,931 CFPF 201.9K
67.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
5.4
6.48%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: July 26, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,266 in United Kingdom, $536 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $3,021 in London vs $1,233 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $3,174 in United Kingdom, $2,056 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 136% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 342% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 54% higher in United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in French Polynesia.

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
United Kingdom vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in French Polynesia compare to the cost in United Kingdom?
At $1,147 per month in French Polynesia and $2,777 in United Kingdom, there's a 142% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in French Polynesia vs United Kingdom?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in French Polynesia: 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.
Is rent more expensive in French Polynesia or in United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom is consistently higher than in French Polynesia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both French Polynesia and United Kingdom on $2,000 per month?
In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: French Polynesia or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: French Polynesia wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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