For one person, living is cheaper in Italy: $1,825 a month against $2,396 in New Caledonia, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Italy and in New Caledonia
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Italy and in New Caledonia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,825 in Italy versus $2,396 in New Caledonia.
Italy $1,825
New Caledonia $2,396
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,790 in Italy versus $3,796 in New Caledonia.
Italy $2,790
New Caledonia $3,796
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,756 in Italy versus $5,196 in New Caledonia.
Italy $3,756
New Caledonia $5,196
🌍
Living in Italy costs about 24% less than in New Caledonia on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, New Caledonia 77% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.90€17.70
$20.67CFPF 2,187
-3.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1€68.6
$113CFPF 12.0K
-31.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41€10.15
$14.06CFPF 1,487
-18.85%
Cappuccino
$2.01€1.78
$4.49CFPF 475
-55.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13€2.78
$1.92CFPF 203
63.02%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.24
$1.26CFPF 134
11.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.76€5.12
$9.65CFPF 1,021
-40.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73€5.10
$7.36CFPF 779
-22.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62€1.44
$1.23CFPF 130
31.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.12
$3.56CFPF 377
-33.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.92€2.60
$2.23CFPF 236
30.94%
Eggs
$4.17€3.70
$6.31CFPF 668
-33.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.28€15.37
$30.30CFPF 3,206
-42.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.73€11.32
$28.72CFPF 3,038
-55.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.39€18.13
$28.51CFPF 3,017
-28.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61€2.32
$4.74CFPF 502
-44.94%
Banana(1kg)
$2.12€1.88
$7.20CFPF 762
-70.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.63€2.34
$6.02CFPF 637
-56.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.34€2.97
$7.82CFPF 827
-57.29%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02€1.79
$5.67CFPF 600
-64.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89€1.69
$3.73CFPF 395
-49.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56€1.39
$4.17CFPF 442
-62.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$1.46CFPF 155
-62.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84€6.08
$19.28CFPF 2,040
-64.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.64€6.80
$15.10CFPF 1,597
-49.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.61
$5.72CFPF 605
-68.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40€2.14
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.86€1.65
$4.80CFPF 508
-61.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.27€38.49
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.64€5.01
$6.89CFPF 729
-18.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.52
$1.12CFPF 118
52.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.04€29.39
$20.90CFPF 2,211
58.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.87
$1.56CFPF 165
35.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K€31.8K
$32.8KCFPF 3.5M
9.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K€33.3K
$37.3KCFPF 3.9M
0.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$230€204
$196CFPF 20.7K
17.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60€10.32
$43.44CFPF 4,596
-73.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.40€27.04
$52.4CFPF 5,546
-42.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.9€47.96
$49.92CFPF 5,282
8.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.24€21.56
$8.45CFPF 894
186.86%
Cinema Ticket
$10.58€9.41
$14.17CFPF 1,499
-25.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$545€485
$754CFPF 79.8K
-27.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.3K
$9,419CFPF 996.5K
22.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.4€78.7
$108CFPF 11.5K
-18.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.60€35.22
$65.7CFPF 6,952
-39.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101€89.8
$95.1CFPF 10.1K
6.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133€118
$249CFPF 26.3K
-46.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$799€711
$735CFPF 77.7K
8.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$624€555
$775CFPF 82.0K
-19.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,423€1,266
$1,503CFPF 159.0K
-5.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,030€916
$1,341CFPF 141.9K
-23.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,601€3,203
$4,646CFPF 491.6K
-22.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,270€2,019
$3,395CFPF 359.2K
-33.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,893€1,684
$2,766CFPF 292.6K
-31.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
3.13
13.74%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: October 18, 2026
Last update for New Caledonia: October 20, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$624 34.2%
New Caledonia
$775 32.3% ↑ 24%$150
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$350 19.2%
New Caledonia
$650 * 27.1% ↑ 85.8%$300
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$276 15.1%
New Caledonia
$337 14.1% ↑ 22.2%$61
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$272 14.9%
New Caledonia
$291 12.2% ↑ 7.3%$20
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
New Caledonia
$233 9.7% ↑ 43.1%$70
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$75 4.1%
New Caledonia
$78 3.3% ↑ 4.2%$3.2
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.6%
New Caledonia
$32 * 1.3% ↓ 51.2%$33
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1K 27.4%
New Caledonia
$1.3K 25.8% ↑ 30.2%$311
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$828 22.1%
New Caledonia
$1.5K * 29.3% ↑ 83.9%$695
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$945 25.2%
New Caledonia
$1.2K 23.9% ↑ 31.4%$296
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$283 7.5%
New Caledonia
$335 6.4% ↑ 18.2%$52
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$362 9.6%
New Caledonia
$518 10% ↑ 43.1%$156
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$174 4.6%
New Caledonia
$165 3.2% ↓ 5.4%$9.5
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
New Caledonia
$73 * 1.4% ↓ 45.4%$61
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $724 in Italy, $434 in New Caledonia. Capital cities: $1,191 in Rome vs $739 in Noumea.
💰National salary averages: $1,892 in Italy, $2,798 in New Caledonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 67% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 33% more in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 48% higher in New Caledonia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in New Caledonia.
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
Italy vs New Caledonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and New Caledonia?
At $1,825 per month in Italy and $2,396 in New Caledonia, there's a 31% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, Italy is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in New Caledonia?
In Italy, $2,500 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.
Should I move to Italy or to New Caledonia?
It depends on what you're after: Italy wins on affordability; New Caledonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.