Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and New Caledonia Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and New Caledonia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,538 per month in Australia vs $987 in New Caledonia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,664 per month in Australia vs $1,545 in New Caledonia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,789 per month in Australia vs $2,102 in New Caledonia, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 157% higher than in New Caledonia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 85% above the global median, while New Caledonia is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.15 A$25.18
$21.60 CFPF 2,220
-15.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.3 A$121
$115 CFPF 11.8K
-24.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.04 A$15.32
$14.40 CFPF 1,480
-23.33%
Cappuccino
$4.01 A$5.56
$4.65 CFPF 478
-13.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 A$4.13
$2.07 CFPF 213
43.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 A$3.31
$1.28 CFPF 131
85.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.91 A$10.97
$9.46 CFPF 972
-16.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 A$11.04
$7.40 CFPF 760
7.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 A$2.54
$1.22 CFPF 126
50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 A$4.00
$3.63 CFPF 373
-20.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 A$3.32
$2.33 CFPF 239
2.58%
Eggs
$5.19 A$7.20
$6.61 CFPF 679
-21.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 A$13.80
$30.55 CFPF 3,139
-67.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.14 A$12.69
$29.27 CFPF 3,008
-68.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.28 A$21.20
$28.78 CFPF 2,957
-46.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 A$5.08
$4.97 CFPF 510
-26.36%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.27
$7.44 CFPF 765
-58.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.24 A$4.49
$6.22 CFPF 639
-47.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.70 A$6.52
$8.26 CFPF 849
-43.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.90 A$4.02
$5.72 CFPF 588
-49.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 A$3.41
$3.85 CFPF 395
-36.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 A$3.46
$4.25 CFPF 436
-41.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 A$2.44
$1.51 CFPF 155
16.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.84 A$53.9
$19.42 CFPF 1,995
100.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.50 A$20.13
$15.70 CFPF 1,613
-7.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.92 A$6.83
$5.98 CFPF 615
-17.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 A$7.10
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.95 A$4.10
$5.01 CFPF 515
-41.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.9 A$132
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 A$5.07
$7.09 CFPF 728
-48.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 A$2.23
$1.17 CFPF 120
37.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.79 A$56.6
$21.49 CFPF 2,208
89.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.80
$1.69 CFPF 174
-23.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K A$39.1K
$34.1K CFPF 3.5M
-17.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K A$41.0K
$38.4K CFPF 3.9M
-23.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$283
$199 CFPF 20.5K
2.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.50 A$40.94
$45.09 CFPF 4,633
-34.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.7 A$81.4
$54.9 CFPF 5,636
6.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.3 A$79.6
$53.3 CFPF 5,476
7.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.45 A$27.00
$8.83 CFPF 908
120.27%
Cinema Ticket
$15.70 A$21.79
$14.85 CFPF 1,526
5.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,139 A$2,969
$782 CFPF 80.4K
173.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.4K A$25.6K
$9,649 CFPF 991.5K
91.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.7 A$112
$116 CFPF 11.9K
-30.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 A$79.8
$67.9 CFPF 6,979
-15.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 A$162
$98.0 CFPF 10.1K
19.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 A$177
$263 CFPF 27.1K
-51.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,635 A$2,269
$761 CFPF 78.2K
114.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,289 A$1,789
$795 CFPF 81.7K
62.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,474 A$3,434
$1,587 CFPF 163.1K
55.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 A$2,721
$1,408 CFPF 144.7K
39.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,452 A$11.7K
$4,943 CFPF 507.9K
71.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,152 A$8,539
$3,550 CFPF 364.8K
73.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
New Caledonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,067 A$5,644
$2,815 CFPF 289.3K
44.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
3.13
89.14%

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

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Last update for New Caledonia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,423 in Australia vs $458 in New Caledonia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,824 in Canberra and $785 in Noumea.

Average salary: $3,932 in Australia vs $2,896 in New Caledonia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 211% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 52% more in Australia.

Salaries are 36% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in New Caledonia.

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
Australia vs New Caledonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than New Caledonia?
New Caledonia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 82% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in New Caledonia, contributing to the overall 82% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in New Caledonia?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in New Caledonia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to New Caledonia?
New Caledonia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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