Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,508 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,888 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $5,268 in Noumea.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 8% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Noumea 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$21.61 CFPF 2,228

-18.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$116 CFPF 11.9K

-45.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$14.80 CFPF 1,526

-21.76%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.69 CFPF 484

-33.90%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.98 CFPF 204

25.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.26 CFPF 130

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$9.57 CFPF 987

-63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$7.72 CFPF 796

-55.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.21 CFPF 125

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.61 CFPF 373

-47.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.23 CFPF 230

-32.74%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$6.38 CFPF 657

-37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$30.21 CFPF 3,114

-56.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$29.56 CFPF 3,048

-72.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$29.16 CFPF 3,006

-38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.86 CFPF 501

-51.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$7.35 CFPF 758

-76.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$6.14 CFPF 633

-69.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$8.41 CFPF 867

-69.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$5.65 CFPF 582

-67.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.96 CFPF 409

-46.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$4.27 CFPF 440

-65.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.54 CFPF 159

-46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$20.52 CFPF 2,116

-65.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$17.67 CFPF 1,822

-66.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$5.73 CFPF 590

-77.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$4.93 CFPF 508

-52.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$7.05 CFPF 727

-42.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.15 CFPF 118

-0.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$21.49 CFPF 2,216

-20.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.63 CFPF 168

41.72%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$33.7K CFPF 3.5M

1.30%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$38.4K CFPF 4.0M

7.82%

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

$169 €147

$203 CFPF 20.9K

-16.89%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$44.20 CFPF 4,557

-56.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$51.0 CFPF 5,254

-34.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$51.7 CFPF 5,328

-5.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$8.59 CFPF 886

126.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$14.80 CFPF 1,526

-35.34%

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

$696 €607

$782 CFPF 80.6K

-11.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$9,819 CFPF 1.0M

76.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$112 CFPF 11.5K

-5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$67.2 CFPF 6,926

-28.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$103 CFPF 10.6K

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$255 CFPF 26.3K

-51.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$769 CFPF 79.3K

116.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$799 CFPF 82.3K

56.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,600 CFPF 165.0K

85.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,380 CFPF 142.3K

48.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$4,898 CFPF 505.0K

59.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$3,528 CFPF 363.8K

26.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,765 CFPF 285.1K

-40.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.13

20.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Noumea: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $769 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $116 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $668 per month, with Lisbon 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

Lisbon vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Noumea differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,508 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Noumea. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $769 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $2,508 in Noumea – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,508 in Noumea, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.