Cost of Living Comparison Between Locarno and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Locarno and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,989 per month in Locarno vs $2,487 in Noumea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,758 per month in Locarno vs $3,896 in Noumea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,527 per month in Locarno vs $5,304 in Noumea, rent included.

Locarno costs about 20% more than Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Locarno and Noumea sit above the global median – Locarno by 117%, Noumea by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.28 CHF 22.28

$21.65 CFPF 2,218

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 100

$117 CFPF 12.0K

4.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.75 CHF 15.31

$14.32 CFPF 1,467

30.94%

Cappuccino

$5.32 CHF 4.35

$4.68 CFPF 479

13.68%

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

$5.23 CHF 4.27

$2.00 CFPF 205

161.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 CHF 3.45

$1.29 CFPF 132

227.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.88

$9.80 CFPF 1,004

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CHF 5.01

$7.69 CFPF 788

-20.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.78

$1.27 CFPF 131

70.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.23

$3.57 CFPF 366

10.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.60

$2.33 CFPF 239

36.48%

Eggs

$7.60 CHF 6.20

$6.60 CFPF 676

15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.02 CHF 22.07

$31.08 CFPF 3,184

-13.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.49 CHF 13.46

$28.78 CFPF 2,949

-42.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.96 CHF 30.18

$29.18 CFPF 2,990

26.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 CHF 2.56

$4.88 CFPF 500

-35.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.35

$7.30 CFPF 747

-77.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$6.51 CFPF 667

-66.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 3.07

$8.45 CFPF 866

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 CHF 1.05

$5.83 CFPF 597

-77.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.53

$3.85 CFPF 394

-51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 CHF 1.58

$4.12 CFPF 423

-53.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CHF 0.98

$1.54 CFPF 158

-22.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 9.11

$20.16 CFPF 2,065

-44.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 CHF 10.94

$17.57 CFPF 1,800

-23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.55

$5.80 CFPF 594

-46.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CHF 2.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CHF 2.29

$4.82 CFPF 493

-41.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 82.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.23 CHF 9.98

$7.42 CFPF 760

64.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$1.17 CFPF 119

109.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 CHF 51.0

$22.18 CFPF 2,272

181.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.70 CFPF 174

30.59%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.0K

$33.2K CFPF 3.4M

18.03%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.6K

$38.2K CFPF 3.9M

4.49%

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

$491 CHF 401

$206 CFPF 21.1K

138.04%

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

$27.32 CHF 22.31

$44.91 CFPF 4,601

-39.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 47.97

$50.7 CFPF 5,195

15.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 CHF 61.6

$50.8 CFPF 5,204

48.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.73 CHF 25.09

$8.97 CFPF 919

242.59%

Cinema Ticket

$20.08 CHF 16.40

$14.48 CFPF 1,483

38.67%

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

$1,489 CHF 1,216

$791 CFPF 81.1K

88.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 16.0K

$9,549 CFPF 978.3K

104.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 CHF 82.0

$113 CFPF 11.6K

-11.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 CHF 48.64

$67.3 CFPF 6,899

-11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 CHF 79.8

$104 CFPF 10.7K

-6.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CHF 98.0

$257 CFPF 26.4K

-53.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 CHF 868

$767 CFPF 78.6K

38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 CHF 874

$792 CFPF 81.2K

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,396 CHF 1,957

$1,551 CFPF 158.9K

54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 CHF 1,850

$1,373 CFPF 140.7K

65.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,068 CHF 6,588

$4,962 CFPF 508.3K

62.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,293 CHF 5,139

$3,551 CFPF 363.8K

77.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,900 CHF 5,635

$2,780 CFPF 284.8K

148.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

3.13

-38.34%

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

Last update for Locarno: September 8, 2026

Last update for Noumea: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Locarno versus $767 in Noumea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Locarno, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Locarno versus $117 in Noumea. Groceries tell a different story – $510 in Locarno vs $670 in Noumea – so Locarno wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Locarno vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Locarno is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,483 per month in Locarno and $3,730 in Noumea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Noumea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Locarno and $117 in Noumea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Locarno – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Noumea, where all-in costs run around $2,487, than in Locarno at $2,989. In Noumea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Locarno it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Noumea – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Noumea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Locarno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.