Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and New Caledonia Cost of Living Comparison Between French Polynesia and New Caledonia

Name: New Caledonia
Address: NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $617 in French Polynesia versus $987 in New Caledonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $962 in French Polynesia versus $1,545 in New Caledonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,307 in French Polynesia versus $2,102 in New Caledonia.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 37% less than in New Caledonia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 55% lower, New Caledonia 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.62 CFPF 1,810

$21.60 CFPF 2,220

-18.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 CFPF 8,044

$115 CFPF 11.8K

-32.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.82 CFPF 1,523

$14.40 CFPF 1,480

2.92%

Cappuccino

$4.36 CFPF 448

$4.65 CFPF 478

-6.24%

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

$2.65 CFPF 272

$2.07 CFPF 213

28.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 CFPF 276

$1.28 CFPF 131

109.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CFPF 510

$9.46 CFPF 972

-47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CFPF 613

$7.40 CFPF 760

-19.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CFPF 149

$1.22 CFPF 126

18.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.41 CFPF 454

$3.63 CFPF 373

21.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 CFPF 174

$2.33 CFPF 239

-27.04%

Eggs

$7.05 CFPF 724

$6.61 CFPF 679

6.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.25 CFPF 3,725

$30.55 CFPF 3,139

18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 CFPF 1,666

$29.27 CFPF 3,008

-44.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.96 CFPF 2,565

$28.78 CFPF 2,957

-13.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 CFPF 540

$4.97 CFPF 510

5.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 CFPF 295

$7.44 CFPF 765

-61.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.88 CFPF 707

$6.22 CFPF 639

10.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.86 CFPF 808

$8.26 CFPF 849

-4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CFPF 318

$5.72 CFPF 588

-45.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CFPF 254

$3.85 CFPF 395

-35.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.67 CFPF 377

$4.25 CFPF 436

-13.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CFPF 130

$1.51 CFPF 155

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CFPF 1,384

$19.42 CFPF 1,995

-30.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.26 CFPF 2,493

$15.70 CFPF 1,613

54.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CFPF 298

$5.98 CFPF 615

-51.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CFPF 404

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 CFPF 198

$5.01 CFPF 515

-61.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 CFPF 1,483

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.61 CFPF 987

$7.09 CFPF 728

35.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 CFPF 253

$1.17 CFPF 120

110.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.04 CFPF 2,470

$21.49 CFPF 2,208

11.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 157

$1.69 CFPF 174

-9.47%

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

$18.7K CFPF 1.9M

$34.1K CFPF 3.5M

-45.33%

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

$30.8K CFPF 3.2M

$38.4K CFPF 3.9M

-19.72%

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

$180 CFPF 18.5K

$199 CFPF 20.5K

-9.50%

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

$20.11 CFPF 2,067

$45.09 CFPF 4,633

-55.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 CFPF 7,492

$54.9 CFPF 5,636

32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 CFPF 7,960

$53.3 CFPF 5,476

45.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.83 CFPF 908

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 CFPF 1,511

$14.85 CFPF 1,526

-0.94%

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

$479 CFPF 49.2K

$782 CFPF 80.4K

-38.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,901 CFPF 1.0M

$9,649 CFPF 991.5K

2.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.3 CFPF 7,430

$116 CFPF 11.9K

-37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 CFPF 7,593

$67.9 CFPF 6,979

8.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 CFPF 8,251

$98.0 CFPF 10.1K

-18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 CFPF 9,593

$263 CFPF 27.1K

-64.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 CFPF 132.3K

$761 CFPF 78.2K

69.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$989 CFPF 101.6K

$795 CFPF 81.7K

24.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,910 CFPF 196.2K

$1,587 CFPF 163.1K

20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 CFPF 159.6K

$1,408 CFPF 144.7K

10.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,378 CFPF 758.1K

$4,943 CFPF 507.9K

49.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,236 CFPF 949.0K

$3,550 CFPF 364.8K

160.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,950 CFPF 200.3K

$2,815 CFPF 289.3K

-30.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.13

46.96%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: August 31, 2026

Last update for New Caledonia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $353 in French Polynesia, $458 in New Caledonia. Capital cities: $1,389 in Papeete vs $785 in Noumea.

National salary averages: $2,095 in French Polynesia, $2,896 in New Caledonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 30% higher in New Caledonia.

Dining out costs 155% more in New Caledonia.

Salaries are 38% higher in New Caledonia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in French Polynesia.

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

French Polynesia vs New Caledonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,169 per month in French Polynesia and $1,251 in New Caledonia, there's a 7% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in French Polynesia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in New Caledonia is consistently higher than in French Polynesia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in New Caledonia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: French Polynesia wins on affordability; New Caledonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.