😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $943 in New Caledonia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $1,462 in New Caledonia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $1,981 in New Caledonia.
😐Living in Italy is roughly 82% more expensive than New Caledonia on average.
📊Italy (28% above) and New Caledonia (30% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44€15.00
$14.73CFPF 1,504
18.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€68.4
$97.2CFPF 9,931
-18.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.76€10.11
$14.46CFPF 1,477
-18.67%
Cappuccino
$2.00€1.72
$5.82CFPF 594
-65.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.58
$2.40CFPF 245
25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.16
$1.11CFPF 113
21.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.94€5.11
$11.21CFPF 1,145
-47.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36€4.61
$7.41CFPF 757
-27.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64€1.41
$1.24CFPF 127
32.26%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.07
$3.08CFPF 315
-21.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.58
$1.92CFPF 196
55.73%
Eggs
$3.96€3.41
$5.72CFPF 585
-30.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.84€14.49
$19.00CFPF 1,940
-11.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.43€10.69
$22.36CFPF 2,284
-44.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.29€17.46
$25.54CFPF 2,609
-20.56%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47€2.13
$4.21CFPF 430
-41.33%
Banana(1kg)
$2.15€1.85
$7.19CFPF 734
-70.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.65€2.28
$6.84CFPF 698
-61.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.40€2.92
$7.37CFPF 753
-53.87%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$3.89CFPF 397
-50.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81€1.56
$3.25CFPF 332
-44.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.33
$2.99CFPF 305
-48.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.46
$1.52CFPF 155
-64.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79€5.84
$19.29CFPF 1,970
-64.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.18€6.18
$15.34CFPF 1,567
-53.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.55
$5.41CFPF 552
-66.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42€2.08
$5.99CFPF 612
-59.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.00€1.72
$2.93CFPF 300
-31.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.35€36.43
$62.2CFPF 6,355
-31.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.94€5.11
$5.36CFPF 547
10.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.51€1.30
$1.01CFPF 103
49.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.04€29.28
$25.33CFPF 2,587
34.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05€1.76
$1.69CFPF 173
21.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K€28.2K
$34.2KCFPF 3.5M
-3.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K€29.0K
$39.3KCFPF 4.0M
-14.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$225€194
$203CFPF 20.7K
11.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25€11.40
$40.52CFPF 4,139
-67.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95€26.62
$56.8CFPF 5,801
-45.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.7€47.95
$61.3CFPF 6,261
-9.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15€21.63
$7.89CFPF 806
218.76%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25€8.82
$12.90CFPF 1,318
-20.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576€495
$786CFPF 80.3K
-26.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5K€8,998
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8€79.0
$111CFPF 11.3K
-16.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72€35.03
$57.1CFPF 5,837
-28.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0€84.3
$92.9CFPF 9,485
5.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€112
$243CFPF 24.8K
-46.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$860€740
$762CFPF 77.8K
12.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$667€573
$785CFPF 80.2K
-15.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,475€1,269
$1,615CFPF 165.0K
-8.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,087€935
$1,314CFPF 134.2K
-17.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,850€3,312
$4,845CFPF 495.0K
-20.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,359€2,029
$3,596CFPF 367.3K
-34.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,933€1,663
$2,822CFPF 288.2K
-31.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.41
2.33
89.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026
Last update for New Caledonia: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $458 in New Caledonia. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $785 in Noumea.
💰National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $2,889 in New Caledonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 62% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 45% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 110% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 48% 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
Italy vs New Caledonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and New Caledonia?
At $1,839 per month in Italy and $1,181 in New Caledonia, there's a 56% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
New Caledonia 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy beats New Caledonia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or New Caledonia?
In New Caledonia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or New Caledonia?
It depends on what you're after. New Caledonia wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.