French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France located in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 118 geographically dispersed islands and atolls spread across five archipelagos: the Society Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Gambier Islands, Marquesa...
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With a safety index of 79/100, French Polynesia offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.
French Polynesia offers visa-free entry for citizens of numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most European nations, for tourism stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period[4][5]. No advance visa application is required for these eligible nationalities; travelers simply present a valid passport upon arrival. However, specific passport requirements must be met: your passport must be valid for at least three to six months beyond your planned departure date (sources vary, with six...
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22% above EU avg
Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.
Capital
Papeetē
Timezone
UTC-10:00
Area
4,167 km²
Population
280,904
GDP
$6.08B
HDI
N/A
Quality of Life
N/A
NYC baseline: 43
Purchasing Power
N/A
NYC baseline: 42
Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in French Polynesia. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.
Cost of Living Index
Very expensive (Groceries Index: 106.5, Restaurant Price Index: 64.4, Rent Index: 29.7). Family of four monthly costs ~498,000 XPF, single ~246,000 XPF in Faaa.
Housing Market
Property Price to Income Ratio: 21.1 years, very high. Rentals relatively lower but overall housing remains unaffordable for most.
Average Income Levels
Purchasing Power Index: N/A, but Numbeo data shows average net salary ~186,000 XPF ($1,681), 158% below US levels, indicating below average purchasing power.
Tax System
Progressive income tax up to 35% for residents, aligned with France; VAT at 5% (lowest in French territories); low property taxes with regional variations.
Business Environment
Limited data on ease of doing business as overseas collectivity; high regulatory alignment with France but challenging logistics, tourism-driven economy, moderate bureaucracy.
Social Security
Universal healthcare via French system (Health Care Index: 88.2, very high); comprehensive pensions, unemployment benefits, and family allowances through CPS framework.
French Polynesia features a tropical climate characterized by consistent warmth year-round, with minimal temperature variation across seasons. The dry season from May to October offers cooler temperatures (23-30°C), lower humidity, and reduced rainfall, ideal for outdoor activities and island exploration.
3 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details
Read full guideLife Expectancy
76.8
Population
280,904
Religions
Ethnic Composition
Research in Progress
We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for French Polynesia. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!
We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.
French Polynesia operates as a parliamentary democracy within the French Republic, with President Emmanuel Macron as head of state represented by a high commissioner, and Moetai Brotherson of pro-independence Tavini Huiraʻatira as head of government since 2023. The unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia holds legislative power, following Tavini's 2023 electoral victory. Autonomy is supported by substantial French financial aid amid ongoing debates on status.
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Population
280,904
Currency
XPF
Timezones
UTC-10:00 to UTC-09:00
Calling Code
+689
Week starts on
Monday
Gini Coefficient
N/A
Traffic side
right side
Map coordinates not available for this location
Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.
All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.