Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Noumea

For one person, living is cheaper in Apia: $851 a month against $2,410 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Noumea
Learn more

Noumea Living Index

Jump to prices

Apia

🇼🇸 Samoa

$851

/mo nomad

Noumea

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$2,410

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Apia and in Noumea

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Apia versus $2,410 in Noumea.

Apia $851
Noumea $2,410

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,281 in Apia versus $3,800 in Noumea.

Apia $2,281
Noumea $3,800

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,711 in Apia versus $5,190 in Noumea.

Apia $3,711
Noumea $5,190

Living in Apia costs roughly 65% less than in Noumea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apia is 36% below, Noumea is 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$47.76 WST 133

$20.86 CFPF 2,220

128.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.89 WST 103

$114 CFPF 12.1K

-67.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 WST 40.39

$13.85 CFPF 1,474

4.77%

Cappuccino

$2.93 WST 8.15

$4.68 CFPF 498

-37.39%

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

$1.80 WST 5.01

$2.01 CFPF 214

-10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 WST 3.88

$1.27 CFPF 135

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 WST 9.78

$9.50 CFPF 1,011

-63.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 WST 10.20

$7.26 CFPF 773

-49.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 WST 5.09

$1.17 CFPF 125

56.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 WST 2.34

$3.58 CFPF 381

-76.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.17

$2.16 CFPF 230

-13.89%

Eggs

$4.15 WST 11.55

$6.13 CFPF 653

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.94 WST 2.62

$30.21 CFPF 3,215

-96.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 WST 10.21

$27.65 CFPF 2,942

-86.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 WST 23.92

$28.19 CFPF 3,000

-69.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 WST 14.54

$4.58 CFPF 487

13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 WST 4.99

$7.29 CFPF 776

-75.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 WST 5.21

$6.27 CFPF 668

-70.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 WST 12.07

$7.98 CFPF 849

-45.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 WST 10.29

$5.55 CFPF 591

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 WST 3.10

$3.86 CFPF 411

-71.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.04 CFPF 430

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 WST 3.40

$1.50 CFPF 160

-18.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 WST 17.55

$19.46 CFPF 2,070

-67.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.32 WST 45.41

$17.03 CFPF 1,812

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 WST 5.19

$5.54 CFPF 590

-66.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 WST 10.24

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 WST 9.94

$4.62 CFPF 491

-22.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 WST 14.84

$6.96 CFPF 741

-23.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.42 WST 15.08

$1.11 CFPF 119

388.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.64 WST 60.2

$21.46 CFPF 2,284

0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 WST 2.95

$1.63 CFPF 174

-34.97%

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

$32.5K CFPF 3.5M

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

$37.3K CFPF 4.0M

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

$18.16 WST 50.6

$205 CFPF 21.8K

-91.12%

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

$18.40 WST 51.2

$44.24 CFPF 4,707

-58.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.53 WST 102

$48.09 CFPF 5,117

-24.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.48 CFPF 5,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 CFPF 878

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CFPF 1,517

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

$759 CFPF 80.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,318 CFPF 991.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CFPF 11.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 CFPF 6,912

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CFPF 10.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$247 CFPF 26.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 CFPF 80.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 CFPF 81.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 CFPF 161.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 WST 4,982

$1,349 CFPF 143.6K

32.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,777 CFPF 508.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 CFPF 367.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,726 CFPF 290.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

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

Last update for Apia: October 6, 2026

Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Apia

–

Noumea

$761 31.9%

Groceries & Markets

Apia

–

Noumea

$646 * 27.1%

Eating Out

Apia

–

Noumea

$340 14.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Apia

–

Noumea

$297 12.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Apia

–

Noumea

$236 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Apia

–

Noumea

$77 3.2%

Getting Around

Apia

–

Noumea

$31 * 1.3%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $37.00 in Apia vs $114 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $646 per month, with Apia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇼🇸 Apia

🇳🇨 Noumea

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

13:49 1:49 PM

2 h behind Apia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,000 Capital

91,386 Capital

💱 Currency

Samoan Tala WST T

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 WST = 0.359 USD

1 WST = 0.32 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to WST – Samoan Tala Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇼🇸 Samoan Tala (T)

Samoan Tala exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.78 WST (1 WST = 0.359 USD). 1 EUR = 3.12 WST (1 WST = 0.32 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

USD to WST in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Apia Noumea 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Apia
Noumea

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

Apia vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 183% lower than in Noumea. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,277 in Apia and $3,614 in Noumea 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.

All in, you'll spend $851 per month in Apia versus $2,410 in Noumea – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 168% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Apia versus $2,410 in Noumea, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $851 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Apia and Noumea are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.