Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yap and Kolonia

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolonia: $1,511 a month against $1,894 in Yap, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jump to prices

Yap

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,894

/mo nomad

Kolonia

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yap and in Kolonia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,894 in Yap versus $1,511 in Kolonia.

Yap $1,894
Kolonia $1,511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Yap versus $2,267 in Kolonia.

Yap $2,471
Kolonia $2,267

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,049 in Yap versus $3,022 in Kolonia.

Yap $3,049
Kolonia $3,022

Living in Yap is roughly 25% more expensive than in Kolonia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yap 39% above, Kolonia 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.87 $29.87

$10.17 $10.17

193.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$24.73 $24.73

139.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

Cappuccino

$4.42 $4.42

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

$1.74 $1.74

$0.98 $0.98

77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 $1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

White Bread (500g)

$5.85 $5.85

$1.97 $1.97

196.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.21 $1.21

255.37%

Eggs

$7.18 $7.18

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.12 $24.12

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$66.3 $66.3

-90.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.67 $6.67

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.14 $2.14

105.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$6.76 $6.76

-36.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$11.22 $11.22

-59.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$13.15 $13.15

-59.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.85 $5.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.48 $1.48

161.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.52 $1.52

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.62 $21.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 $7.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 $5.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.40 $1.40

6.43%

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

$4,019 $4,019

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

$3,997 $3,997

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

$80.5 $80.5

$197 $197

-59.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 $81.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.99 $14.99

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.18 $24.18

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 $75.6

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 $991

$695 $695

42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$504 $504

99.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,017 $1,017

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 $981

$810 $810

21.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,471 $1,471

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 $1,006

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 $262

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400000

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

Last update for Yap: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kolonia: October 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $991 in Yap and $695 in Kolonia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59 in Yap vs $25 in Kolonia. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $617, with Yap cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇫🇲 Yap

🇫🇲 Kolonia

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

13:33 1:33 PM

1 h ahead of Yap

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,577

6,074

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Yap Kolonia 2,220 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Yap
Kolonia

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

Yap vs Kolonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolonia wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Yap. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kolonia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $2,841 in Yap and $2,267 in Kolonia 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: $991 in Yap versus $695 in Kolonia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,894 per month in Yap versus $1,511 in Kolonia – Kolonia is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Shoppers in Yap pay roughly 58% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Kolonia is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Safety-wise, Yap and Kolonia are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.