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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,749 per month in Locarno vs $2,350 in Noumea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,497 per month in Locarno vs $3,723 in Noumea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,245 per month in Locarno vs $5,096 in Noumea, rent included.

Locarno costs about 17% more than Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Locarno and Noumea sit above the global median – Locarno by 107%, Noumea by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.58 CHF 22.23

$14.47 CFPF 1,499

90.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$96.9 CFPF 10.0K

49.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.71 CHF 13.47

$14.26 CFPF 1,478

17.18%

Cappuccino

$4.95 CHF 3.99

$6.05 CFPF 627

-18.18%

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

$5.18 CHF 4.17

$2.35 CFPF 244

120.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 CHF 3.56

$1.06 CFPF 110

316.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 CHF 5.99

$10.96 CFPF 1,136

-32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CHF 5.75

$7.36 CFPF 763

-2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 CHF 1.47

$1.23 CFPF 128

47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CHF 2.09

$3.07 CFPF 318

-15.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.01

$1.96 CFPF 203

27.55%

Eggs

$6.06 CHF 4.88

$5.62 CFPF 582

7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.05 CHF 21.80

$18.89 CFPF 1,957

43.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.67 CHF 11.82

$22.48 CFPF 2,329

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.42 CHF 29.35

$26.15 CFPF 2,709

39.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.24

$4.18 CFPF 433

-33.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CHF 1.51

$7.41 CFPF 767

-74.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.46

$6.71 CFPF 695

-73.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.53

$7.19 CFPF 745

-56.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 CHF 1.12

$3.73 CFPF 386

-62.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.47

$3.19 CFPF 331

-42.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 CHF 1.45

$2.84 CFPF 294

-36.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 CHF 0.57

$1.50 CFPF 155

-52.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.70

$20.02 CFPF 2,074

-46.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 CHF 10.73

$17.31 CFPF 1,793

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.84

$5.35 CFPF 554

-57.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$6.23 CFPF 645

-61.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 CHF 2.24

$2.84 CFPF 295

-2.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.0 CHF 79.0

$63.2 CFPF 6,551

54.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 CHF 5.52

$5.29 CFPF 548

29.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.37

$1.04 CFPF 108

301.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 64.1

$25.03 CFPF 2,593

217.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.72

$1.61 CFPF 167

32.92%

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

$34.7K CHF 28.0K

$34.8K CFPF 3.6M

-0.19%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.5K

$39.8K CFPF 4.1M

4.47%

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

$327 CHF 264

$210 CFPF 21.8K

55.67%

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

$24.92 CHF 20.08

$40.09 CFPF 4,153

-37.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.36 CHF 38.16

$58.3 CFPF 6,036

-18.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.8 CHF 58.7

$61.8 CFPF 6,401

17.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.50 CHF 24.58

$7.89 CFPF 818

286.57%

Cinema Ticket

$21.02 CHF 16.94

$12.97 CFPF 1,343

62.07%

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

$1,466 CHF 1,182

$803 CFPF 83.2K

82.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K CHF 15.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 CHF 91.8

$111 CFPF 11.5K

2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 47.84

$59.1 CFPF 6,118

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 CHF 97.1

$126 CFPF 13.0K

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CHF 97.1

$240 CFPF 24.8K

-49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 854

$803 CFPF 83.1K

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 854

$800 CFPF 82.9K

32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 CHF 1,984

$1,628 CFPF 168.6K

51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,830

$1,331 CFPF 137.9K

70.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,017 CHF 6,460

$4,693 CFPF 486.2K

70.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,148 CHF 4,954

$3,561 CFPF 368.9K

72.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,878 CHF 5,543

$2,774 CFPF 287.3K

147.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.17

2.33

-6.87%

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

Last update for Locarno: July 25, 2026

Last update for Noumea: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Locarno versus $803 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 $145 in Locarno versus $97.0 in Noumea. Groceries tell a different story – $457 in Locarno vs $570 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 17%, 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 $4,124 per month in Locarno and $3,525 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.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Noumea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,466 per month in Locarno and $803 in Noumea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Noumea, where all-in costs run around $2,350, than in Locarno at $2,749. 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.