😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,792 in Italy versus $987 in New Caledonia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,735 in Italy versus $1,545 in New Caledonia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,678 in Italy versus $2,102 in New Caledonia.
🌍Living in Italy is roughly 82% more expensive than in New Caledonia on average.
📊Italy (30% above) and New Caledonia (28% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.31€18.34
$21.60CFPF 2,220
-1.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.6€70.2
$115CFPF 11.8K
-29.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.64€10.02
$14.40CFPF 1,480
-19.17%
Cappuccino
$2.02€1.74
$4.65CFPF 478
-56.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15€2.71
$2.07CFPF 213
52.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45€1.25
$1.28CFPF 131
13.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.69€4.90
$9.46CFPF 972
-39.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94€5.11
$7.40CFPF 760
-19.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.46
$1.22CFPF 126
38.52%
White Bread(500g)
$2.48€2.13
$3.63CFPF 373
-31.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.97€2.55
$2.33CFPF 239
27.47%
Eggs
$4.32€3.72
$6.61CFPF 679
-34.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.42€14.99
$30.55CFPF 3,139
-42.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.79€11.01
$29.27CFPF 3,008
-56.30%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.28€18.31
$28.78CFPF 2,957
-26.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.27
$4.97CFPF 510
-46.88%
Banana(1kg)
$2.21€1.90
$7.44CFPF 765
-70.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.79€2.40
$6.22CFPF 639
-55.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.37€2.90
$8.26CFPF 849
-59.20%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10€1.81
$5.72CFPF 588
-63.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$3.85CFPF 395
-48.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.60€1.38
$4.25CFPF 436
-62.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.49
$1.51CFPF 155
-62.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.13€6.13
$19.42CFPF 1,995
-63.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.59€6.53
$15.70CFPF 1,613
-51.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.59
$5.98CFPF 615
-69.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50€2.15
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.00€1.72
$5.01CFPF 515
-60.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.09€38.80
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.80€4.99
$7.09CFPF 728
-18.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.79€1.54
$1.17CFPF 120
52.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.95€30.07
$21.49CFPF 2,208
62.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.83
$1.69CFPF 174
26.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K€32.1K
$34.1KCFPF 3.5M
9.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K€31.3K
$38.4KCFPF 3.9M
-5.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$239€205
$199CFPF 20.5K
19.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.14€10.45
$45.09CFPF 4,633
-73.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.42€27.04
$54.9CFPF 5,636
-42.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.9€47.26
$53.3CFPF 5,476
3.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.84€21.38
$8.83CFPF 908
181.31%
Cinema Ticket
$10.92€9.40
$14.85CFPF 1,526
-26.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€488
$782CFPF 80.4K
-27.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.2K€10.5K
$9,649CFPF 991.5K
26.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.7€80.6
$116CFPF 11.9K
-18.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.71€35.03
$67.9CFPF 6,979
-40.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€90.3
$98.0CFPF 10.1K
7.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139€120
$263CFPF 27.1K
-47.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$857€738
$761CFPF 78.2K
12.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$657€565
$795CFPF 81.7K
-17.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,476€1,270
$1,587CFPF 163.1K
-6.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,093€940
$1,408CFPF 144.7K
-22.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,786€3,257
$4,943CFPF 507.9K
-23.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332€2,007
$3,550CFPF 364.8K
-34.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
New Caledonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,928€1,659
$2,815CFPF 289.3K
-31.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.57
3.13
14.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: August 31, 2026
Last update for New Caledonia: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $758 in Italy, $458 in New Caledonia. Capital cities: $1,244 in Rome vs $785 in Noumea.
💰National salary averages: $1,967 in Italy, $2,896 in New Caledonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 66% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 36% more in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 47% higher in New Caledonia, 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
Italy vs New Caledonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and New Caledonia?
At $1,907 per month in Italy and $1,251 in New Caledonia, there's a 52% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in New Caledonia: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 in New Caledonia?
In New Caledonia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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: New Caledonia wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.