Cost of Living Comparison Between Kone and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Kone and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $460 in Kone versus $2,390 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $684 in Kone versus $3,715 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $908 in Kone versus $5,040 in Noumea.

Living in Kone costs roughly 81% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kone is 66% below, Noumea is 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CFPF 1,524

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 CFPF 5,640

$97.1 CFPF 10.1K

-44.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.64 CFPF 1,523

Cappuccino

$5.98 CFPF 622

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

$2.45 CFPF 255

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CFPF 115

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.29 CFPF 1,174

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 CFPF 798

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 128

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CFPF 320

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CFPF 206

Eggs

$5.76 CFPF 599

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.01 CFPF 1,978

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.21 CFPF 2,311

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.41 CFPF 2,644

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CFPF 450

Banana (1kg)

$7.29 CFPF 758

Oranges (1kg)

$6.63 CFPF 690

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 CFPF 738

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 CFPF 397

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 CFPF 345

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 CFPF 308

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CFPF 157

$1.50 CFPF 156

0.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.08 CFPF 1,882

$20.47 CFPF 2,130

-11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 CFPF 1,557

$17.10 CFPF 1,779

-12.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.21 CFPF 542

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 CFPF 658

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 CFPF 304

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CFPF 6,606

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 CFPF 559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CFPF 105

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.88 CFPF 2,589

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 CFPF 167

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

$34.4K CFPF 3.6M

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

$39.5K CFPF 4.1M

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

$174 CFPF 18.1K

$208 CFPF 21.6K

-16.12%

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

$40.53 CFPF 4,217

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.9 CFPF 10.2K

$58.0 CFPF 6,033

68.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CFPF 5,957

$61.8 CFPF 6,429

-7.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 CFPF 817

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CFPF 1,329

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

$783 CFPF 81.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 CFPF 11.9K

$113 CFPF 11.8K

1.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 CFPF 5,935

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 CFPF 7,549

$126 CFPF 13.1K

-42.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$238 CFPF 24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 CFPF 59.4K

$805 CFPF 83.8K

-29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CFPF 82.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 CFPF 162.8K

$1,591 CFPF 165.5K

-1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CFPF 138.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,854 CFPF 505.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CFPF 365.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,908 CFPF 302.6K

$2,719 CFPF 282.9K

6.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.33

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

Last update for Kone: July 13, 2026

Last update for Noumea: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Kone and $805 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Kone vs $97.0 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $48.00 vs $567 per month, with Kone cheaper across the board.

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

Kone vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone wins on cost – living expenses run 420% lower than in Noumea. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Kone, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $571 in Kone versus $805 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $460 per month in Kone versus $2,390 in Noumea – a 420% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1078% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $460 in Kone versus $2,390 in Noumea, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kone but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Kone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $460 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kone and Noumea are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 420% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.