Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and French Polynesia

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,223 in Vanuatu versus $787 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,121 in Vanuatu versus $1,196 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,019 in Vanuatu versus $1,604 in French Polynesia.

Living in Vanuatu is roughly 310% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

Vanuatu (141% above) and French Polynesia (41% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in French Polynesia: monthly costs span $0 to $2,251, compared to $3,025–$3,420 in Vanuatu. City choice carries more weight in French Polynesia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 VUV 1,323

$15.81 CFPF 1,602

-29.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 VUV 7,732

$79.7 CFPF 8,072

-17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 VUV 1,107

$11.93 CFPF 1,209

-21.29%

Cappuccino

$5.03 VUV 592

$4.38 CFPF 444

14.84%

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

$2.12 VUV 250

$2.66 CFPF 269

-20.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 VUV 204

$2.21 CFPF 224

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 VUV 540

$5.04 CFPF 511

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 VUV 488

$4.77 CFPF 484

-13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 VUV 279

$1.50 CFPF 152

58.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 VUV 339

$2.86 CFPF 290

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 VUV 448

$1.66 CFPF 168

128.92%

Eggs

$5.27 VUV 621

$7.37 CFPF 747

-28.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.27 VUV 2,389

$38.55 CFPF 3,906

-47.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.62 VUV 1,958

$17.05 CFPF 1,728

-2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 VUV 1,983

$27.36 CFPF 2,772

-38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VUV 576

$5.38 CFPF 545

-9.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 VUV 339

$2.40 CFPF 243

19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 VUV 626

$6.83 CFPF 692

-22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 VUV 402

$7.84 CFPF 794

-56.51%

Potato (1kg)

$5.09 VUV 599

$3.05 CFPF 309

66.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 VUV 333

$2.73 CFPF 276

3.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 VUV 292

$3.93 CFPF 398

-37.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 VUV 159

$1.12 CFPF 113

20.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 VUV 1,110

$12.05 CFPF 1,221

-21.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 VUV 1,941

$24.51 CFPF 2,483

-32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 VUV 372

$2.55 CFPF 259

23.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 VUV 342

$4.59 CFPF 465

-36.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 VUV 202

$1.92 CFPF 194

-10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 VUV 7,996

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 VUV 252

$9.91 CFPF 1,004

-78.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 96.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 VUV 607

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 VUV 222

$1.59 CFPF 161

18.24%

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

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

$19.1K CFPF 1.9M

23.46%

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

$37.7K VUV 4.4M

$28.9K CFPF 2.9M

30.47%

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

$531 VUV 62.5K

$184 CFPF 18.6K

188.57%

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

$25.34 VUV 2,986

$17.61 CFPF 1,784

43.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$225 VUV 26.5K

$106 CFPF 10.7K

112.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 CFPF 7,435

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 VUV 2,010

$17.55 CFPF 1,778

-2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.80 VUV 1,508

$14.69 CFPF 1,488

-12.87%

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

$622 VUV 73.3K

$477 CFPF 48.3K

30.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 VUV 815.7K

$9,768 CFPF 989.6K

-29.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.46 VUV 5,474

$98.0 CFPF 9,923

-52.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 VUV 7,868

$84.4 CFPF 8,547

-20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CFPF 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CFPF 10.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 VUV 219.7K

$1,313 CFPF 133.0K

42.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 VUV 207.6K

$1,100 CFPF 111.5K

60.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,343 VUV 393.9K

$2,107 CFPF 213.4K

58.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 VUV 239.8K

$1,840 CFPF 186.4K

10.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,456 VUV 996.3K

$8,564 CFPF 867.7K

-1.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,346 VUV 394.2K

$7,932 CFPF 803.6K

-57.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 VUV 53.8K

$1,966 CFPF 199.2K

-76.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

29.63%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: April 20, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $940 in Vanuatu, $537 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $1,879 in Port Vila vs $1,232 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $578 in Vanuatu, $2,144 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 75% higher in Vanuatu.

Dining out costs 74% more in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 271% higher in French Polynesia, 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

Vanuatu vs French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,126 per month in French Polynesia and $3,223 in Vanuatu, there's a 186% 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 Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu, 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; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.