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: $789 in French Polynesia versus $943 in New Caledonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in French Polynesia versus $1,462 in New Caledonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in French Polynesia versus $1,981 in New Caledonia.

Living in French Polynesia costs about 16% less than in New Caledonia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: French Polynesia 41% lower, New Caledonia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 CFPF 1,624

$14.73 CFPF 1,509

7.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CFPF 8,320

$97.2 CFPF 9,965

-16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 CFPF 1,238

$14.46 CFPF 1,482

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$4.44 CFPF 455

$5.82 CFPF 596

-23.71%

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

$2.67 CFPF 274

$2.40 CFPF 246

11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CFPF 216

$1.11 CFPF 114

90.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 CFPF 499

$11.21 CFPF 1,149

-56.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CFPF 505

$7.41 CFPF 760

-33.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CFPF 154

$1.24 CFPF 127

20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CFPF 282

$3.08 CFPF 316

-10.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 172

$1.92 CFPF 197

-12.50%

Eggs

$7.17 CFPF 735

$5.72 CFPF 587

25.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$38.65 CFPF 3,962

$19.00 CFPF 1,947

103.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CFPF 1,691

$22.36 CFPF 2,291

-26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,733

$25.54 CFPF 2,618

4.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 CFPF 582

$4.21 CFPF 431

34.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CFPF 255

$7.19 CFPF 737

-65.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.94 CFPF 712

$6.84 CFPF 701

1.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 CFPF 796

$7.37 CFPF 755

5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CFPF 300

$3.89 CFPF 398

-24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 CFPF 278

$3.25 CFPF 333

-16.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 395

$2.99 CFPF 306

29.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 120

$1.52 CFPF 156

-23.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CFPF 1,220

$19.29 CFPF 1,977

-38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.41 CFPF 2,502

$15.34 CFPF 1,572

59.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 262

$5.41 CFPF 554

-52.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CFPF 490

$5.99 CFPF 614

-20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 204

$2.93 CFPF 301

-32.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CFPF 6,377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 CFPF 1,016

$5.36 CFPF 549

84.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CFPF 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.33 CFPF 2,596

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 161

$1.69 CFPF 173

-7.10%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$34.2K CFPF 3.5M

-43.48%

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

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

$39.3K CFPF 4.0M

-25.91%

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

$178 CFPF 18.3K

$203 CFPF 20.8K

-12.17%

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

$17.55 CFPF 1,799

$40.52 CFPF 4,153

-56.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 CFPF 10.5K

$56.8 CFPF 5,820

80.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CFPF 7,741

$61.3 CFPF 6,283

23.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.85 CFPF 1,830

$7.89 CFPF 809

126.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,493

$12.90 CFPF 1,322

12.95%

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

$479 CFPF 49.1K

$786 CFPF 80.6K

-39.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

$111 CFPF 11.3K

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CFPF 8,919

$57.1 CFPF 5,857

52.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$92.9 CFPF 9,517

17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CFPF 11.2K

$243 CFPF 24.9K

-54.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CFPF 135.5K

$762 CFPF 78.1K

73.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CFPF 112.2K

$785 CFPF 80.5K

39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CFPF 220.3K

$1,615 CFPF 165.6K

33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CFPF 190.1K

$1,314 CFPF 134.7K

41.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,774 CFPF 899.4K

$4,845 CFPF 496.6K

81.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,922 CFPF 812.1K

$3,596 CFPF 368.6K

120.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 CFPF 198.3K

$2,822 CFPF 289.2K

-31.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

2.33

131.76%

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

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Last update for New Caledonia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $532 in French Polynesia, $458 in New Caledonia. Capital cities: $1,231 in Papeete vs $785 in Noumea.

National salary averages: $2,100 in French Polynesia, $2,889 in New Caledonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 168% more in New Caledonia.

Salaries are 38% higher in New Caledonia, giving New Caledonia stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $1,181 in New Caledonia, there's a 3% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

French Polynesia is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.