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

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $789 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,193 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,597 in French Polynesia.

Living in United States is roughly 235% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

United States (97% above) and French Polynesia (41% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$15.84 CFPF 1,624

26.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$81.2 CFPF 8,320

-6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$12.08 CFPF 1,238

-5.46%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.44 CFPF 455

21.40%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.67 CFPF 274

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.11 CFPF 216

-3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.87 CFPF 499

26.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.93 CFPF 505

45.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.50 CFPF 154

-30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.76 CFPF 282

32.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.68 CFPF 172

181.55%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$7.17 CFPF 735

-38.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$38.65 CFPF 3,962

-66.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$16.50 CFPF 1,691

-24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$26.66 CFPF 2,733

-38.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.68 CFPF 582

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.49 CFPF 255

-33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.94 CFPF 712

-33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$7.77 CFPF 796

-36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.93 CFPF 300

-0.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.71 CFPF 278

15.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.86 CFPF 395

-41.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.17 CFPF 120

96.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$11.90 CFPF 1,220

-16.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$24.41 CFPF 2,502

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.55 CFPF 262

-25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$4.78 CFPF 490

-23.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.99 CFPF 204

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$9.91 CFPF 1,016

-61.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.57 CFPF 161

-38.85%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

57.76%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

-9.50%

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

$204 $204

$178 CFPF 18.3K

14.55%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$17.55 CFPF 1,799

226.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$103 CFPF 10.5K

-30.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$75.5 CFPF 7,741

-38.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$17.85 CFPF 1,830

23.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$14.57 CFPF 1,493

-5.01%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$479 CFPF 49.1K

188.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

131.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

-46.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$87.0 CFPF 8,919

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$110 CFPF 11.2K

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$1,322 CFPF 135.5K

33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$1,095 CFPF 112.2K

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$2,149 CFPF 220.3K

31.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,854 CFPF 190.1K

30.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$8,774 CFPF 899.4K

-62.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$7,922 CFPF 812.1K

-66.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$1,934 CFPF 198.3K

126.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.4

20.56%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $532 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $1,231 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $2,100 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 208% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Salaries are 114% higher in United States, 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 States vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $3,212 in United States, there's a 179% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, 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. French Polynesia wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.