Grocery shopping in FP

Hi!

I'm planning a camping trip in FP (I hope I can realize it next year), since I found campsites for reasonably prices on most of the islands. This way I could avoid one huge expense, the accommodation. But there is one thing I can not really find good info about, and that's the grocery shopping prices, especially on smaller islands. I found some articles and blog posts from around 2012 and 2013, but they are a bit controversial. Some say basic stuffs are cheap, like baguettes, eggs, etc; while others say a loaf of bread was like 7 USD. So has anybody been there recently and could give me some info on prices? I would like to avoid restaurants as long as I can, as campsites have kitchen amenities, and I'm totally okay to eat sandwiches, canned stuffs, fruits etc. for days.

Thanks for any comment in advance!

i found it ok to eat sandwiches and packed and warm, ready-to-eat food from grocery shops / magasins on my last trip. the prices range from 300 to about 1.300 XPF. you can get practically a proper meal (big portion) from such a shop for about 700 CPF and over while food in restuarants or snacks cost betwen 800-4000XPF

Wow, thanks, that sounds much better, than what I found online. One more question, are these prices the same at the smaller islands too? I guess (I hope), the differences can not be so huge. Like this, French Polynesia seems doable on a tighter budget too (with camping). May I ask, which islands you have been to, and what do you think about them? Thanks a lot!

hi boris,

we went last august to bora bora, tikehau, rangiroa and tahiti. tahiti, bora bora and rangiroa have well sorted mid-size grocery stores, with freshly baked baguette and even camenbert (for 600XPF, but that was a special treat on a year long journey). As always fresh veggies and fruits are expensive in the south pacific and not always easy to get by. but in the previous three islands they have Roulotte, kind of fast food caravans, which will appaer during sunset and they offer from bbq to pizza and to fresh coconut fish salad for around 1000/1500XPF. usually quiet large portions.
tikehau was another story, just two restaurants (meal around 1800XPF) and it needed to be prebooked. the grocery store has a large selection on cookies, crisps and beer then anything else. so please bring some food with you. not sure if you can find a campground there anyway.
Favourite islands were bora bora and rangiroa.

Thank you! Just the info I needed, the grocery store prices and roulottes are much more budget friendly, than the restaurant prices, and it's good to know that they are easy to find.

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