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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,801 per month in Locarno vs $2,408 in Noumea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,498 per month in Locarno vs $3,697 in Noumea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,195 per month in Locarno vs $4,985 in Noumea, rent included.

Locarno costs about 16% more than Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Locarno and Noumea sit above the global median – Locarno by 109%, Noumea by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.87 CHF 22.01

$14.80 CFPF 1,508

88.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 116

$98.1 CFPF 10.0K

50.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.74 CHF 13.22

$14.40 CFPF 1,468

16.25%

Cappuccino

$4.97 CHF 3.93

$5.85 CFPF 596

-15.04%

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

$5.09 CHF 4.02

$2.38 CFPF 243

113.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 CHF 3.53

$1.07 CFPF 109

316.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 CHF 5.71

$11.06 CFPF 1,127

-34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CHF 5.57

$7.38 CFPF 752

-4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 CHF 1.45

$1.23 CFPF 125

48.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$3.03 CFPF 309

-13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$1.98 CFPF 202

21.72%

Eggs

$5.85 CHF 4.62

$5.56 CFPF 567

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.55 CHF 21.77

$18.85 CFPF 1,921

46.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 CHF 11.74

$22.77 CFPF 2,320

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.76 CHF 29.04

$26.08 CFPF 2,658

40.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 CHF 2.15

$4.33 CFPF 442

-37.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.43

$7.20 CFPF 734

-74.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 CHF 1.49

$6.66 CFPF 678

-71.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.37

$7.38 CFPF 753

-59.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 CHF 1.06

$3.72 CFPF 379

-63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 CHF 1.49

$3.27 CFPF 333

-42.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CHF 1.49

$2.93 CFPF 299

-35.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 CHF 0.57

$1.45 CFPF 148

-50.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.82 CHF 8.54

$20.37 CFPF 2,076

-46.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CHF 9.13

$17.98 CFPF 1,833

-35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$5.30 CFPF 540

-56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$5.98 CFPF 610

-60.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CHF 2.12

$2.88 CFPF 294

-6.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 78.4

$62.1 CFPF 6,325

59.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 CHF 5.25

$5.54 CFPF 565

19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.30

$1.04 CFPF 106

301.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 62.8

$25.29 CFPF 2,578

214.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$1.67 CFPF 171

28.14%

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

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

$34.4K CFPF 3.5M

1.92%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

$40.5K CFPF 4.1M

3.46%

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

$324 CHF 256

$209 CFPF 21.3K

54.88%

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

$24.56 CHF 19.40

$40.51 CFPF 4,129

-39.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.43 CHF 37.47

$57.9 CFPF 5,905

-18.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.9 CHF 58.4

$61.6 CFPF 6,278

19.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.06 CHF 24.54

$7.86 CFPF 801

295.17%

Cinema Ticket

$20.71 CHF 16.36

$12.91 CFPF 1,316

60.42%

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

$1,470 CHF 1,161

$800 CFPF 81.5K

83.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K CHF 15.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CHF 89.1

$110 CFPF 11.2K

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 CHF 46.09

$58.0 CFPF 5,915

0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 CHF 95.5

$121 CFPF 12.4K

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CHF 95.4

$243 CFPF 24.8K

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 CHF 834

$788 CFPF 80.3K

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 CHF 821

$788 CFPF 80.3K

31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 CHF 1,896

$1,626 CFPF 165.7K

47.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,233 CHF 1,764

$1,353 CFPF 137.9K

65.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,450 CHF 6,676

$5,146 CFPF 524.5K

64.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,394 CHF 5,051

$3,944 CFPF 401.9K

62.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,135 CHF 5,637

$2,807 CFPF 286.1K

154.19%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Noumea: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Locarno versus $788 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 154% 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 $147 in Locarno versus $98.0 in Noumea. Groceries tell a different story – $455 in Locarno vs $571 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 16%, 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 $4,201 per month in Locarno and $3,612 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 60% less in Noumea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,470 per month in Locarno and $800 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 $2,408, than in Locarno at $2,801. 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.