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: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $783 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $1,188 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,584 in United Kingdom versus $1,592 in French Polynesia.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 202% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and French Polynesia (42% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.18 £15.14
$15.90 CFPF 1,640
26.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.9 £65.2
$81.6 CFPF 8,412
6.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 £7.73
$12.08 CFPF 1,246
-14.65%
Cappuccino
$4.67 £3.50
$4.49 CFPF 463
4.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 £1.84
$2.63 CFPF 271
-6.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 £1.31
$2.13 CFPF 219
-17.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.96
$4.83 CFPF 498
36.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.31 £4.74
$4.96 CFPF 512
27.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 £1.24
$1.51 CFPF 155
9.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.29
$2.80 CFPF 288
-38.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.72
$1.63 CFPF 168
40.49%
Eggs
$4.14 £3.10
$7.03 CFPF 725
-41.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.97 £7.48
$38.13 CFPF 3,931
-73.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 £6.66
$16.45 CFPF 1,696
-46.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.15 £10.61
$27.44 CFPF 2,829
-48.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 £2.23
$5.39 CFPF 556
-44.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 £1.26
$2.35 CFPF 242
-28.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.14
$6.61 CFPF 682
-56.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 £2.56
$7.73 CFPF 797
-55.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 £1.25
$3.05 CFPF 314
-45.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$2.74 CFPF 282
-44.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.87
$3.92 CFPF 404
-70.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 £1.13
$1.16 CFPF 120
30.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.73 £15.55
$12.05 CFPF 1,242
72.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.85 £8.14
$23.95 CFPF 2,469
-54.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 £2.12
$2.55 CFPF 263
10.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 £2.48
$4.71 CFPF 486
-29.72%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.19 £2.39
$1.95 CFPF 201
63.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 £71.1
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 £4.10
$9.56 CFPF 985
-42.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 £1.15
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.66 £20.00
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 £1.43
$1.57 CFPF 162
21.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
$19.5K CFPF 2.0M
95.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K £30.8K
$29.0K CFPF 3.0M
41.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$327 £245
$183 CFPF 18.8K
78.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.50 £13.13
$17.42 CFPF 1,796
0.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.25 £31.68
$106 CFPF 10.9K
-59.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.93 £34.45
$73.2 CFPF 7,543
-37.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.90 £11.93
$17.87 CFPF 1,843
-11.02%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 £10.10
$14.83 CFPF 1,529
-9.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,735 £1,301
$484 CFPF 49.9K
258.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.7K £15.6K
$9,615 CFPF 991.3K
115.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 £67.1
$98.7 CFPF 10.2K
-9.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.65 £33.48
$85.8 CFPF 8,850
-47.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 £77.7
$108 CFPF 11.1K
-3.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.3
$109 CFPF 11.3K
-6.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,418 £1,064
$1,332 CFPF 137.3K
6.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,139 £854
$1,090 CFPF 112.4K
4.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,313 £1,735
$2,093 CFPF 215.8K
10.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,837 £1,377
$1,871 CFPF 192.9K
-1.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,858 £4,394
$8,577 CFPF 884.3K
-31.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,550 £3,412
$7,962 CFPF 820.9K
-42.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
French Polynesia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,230 £2,423
$1,919 CFPF 197.8K
68.36%
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: June 6, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,265 in United Kingdom, $539 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $3,031 in London vs $1,243 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $3,192 in United Kingdom, $2,100 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 135% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 342% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 52% higher in United Kingdom, giving French Polynesia stronger purchasing power.

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 United Kingdom?
At $1,124 per month in French Polynesia and $2,803 in United Kingdom, there's a 149% 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?
French Polynesia 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.
Is rent more expensive in French Polynesia or United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom beats 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 works in regional areas but 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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