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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,713 per month in Locarno vs $2,366 in Noumea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,457 per month in Locarno vs $3,652 in Noumea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,200 per month in Locarno vs $4,938 in Noumea, rent included.

Locarno costs about 15% more than Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Locarno and Noumea sit above the global median – Locarno by 102%, Noumea by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.76 CHF 22.04

$14.76 CFPF 1,519

88.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$98.8 CFPF 10.2K

47.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.61 CHF 13.19

$14.48 CFPF 1,489

14.71%

Cappuccino

$4.92 CHF 3.90

$5.79 CFPF 596

-15.03%

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

$5.15 CHF 4.09

$2.48 CFPF 255

107.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CHF 3.48

$1.12 CFPF 115

291.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 CHF 5.95

$11.02 CFPF 1,133

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 CHF 5.54

$7.63 CFPF 784

-8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 CHF 1.50

$1.24 CFPF 127

52.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.04

$3.08 CFPF 317

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.90

$1.89 CFPF 195

26.46%

Eggs

$5.79 CHF 4.60

$5.66 CFPF 582

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.11 CHF 21.52

$18.80 CFPF 1,933

44.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 CHF 11.55

$22.46 CFPF 2,310

-35.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.75 CHF 29.18

$25.77 CFPF 2,650

42.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.09

$4.22 CFPF 434

-37.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CHF 1.49

$7.33 CFPF 754

-74.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.51

$6.98 CFPF 718

-72.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$7.32 CFPF 753

-58.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 CHF 1.05

$3.74 CFPF 385

-64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.45

$3.29 CFPF 339

-44.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 CHF 1.44

$2.95 CFPF 304

-38.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 CHF 0.60

$1.45 CFPF 149

-48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 CHF 8.43

$19.80 CFPF 2,036

-46.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 CHF 9.35

$17.17 CFPF 1,766

-31.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$5.19 CFPF 534

-56.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$6.18 CFPF 636

-62.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CHF 2.22

$2.87 CFPF 295

-2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 78.5

$61.4 CFPF 6,311

61.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 CHF 5.30

$5.52 CFPF 567

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.26

$0.99 CFPF 102

314.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 63.4

$24.63 CFPF 2,533

224.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.67 CFPF 171

28.14%

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

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

$34.6K CFPF 3.6M

-1.54%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.7K

$39.1K CFPF 4.0M

5.22%

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

$324 CHF 257

$208 CFPF 21.4K

55.65%

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

$24.22 CHF 19.23

$40.80 CFPF 4,196

-40.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.61 CHF 37.01

$57.7 CFPF 5,934

-19.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 59.5

$61.6 CFPF 6,331

21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 CHF 24.00

$7.63 CFPF 785

296.20%

Cinema Ticket

$21.02 CHF 16.69

$12.87 CFPF 1,324

63.33%

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

$1,474 CHF 1,170

$798 CFPF 82.0K

84.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K CHF 15.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 CHF 90.6

$109 CFPF 11.2K

4.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 CHF 47.24

$59.2 CFPF 6,088

0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 CHF 97.8

$125 CFPF 12.8K

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CHF 96.5

$241 CFPF 24.8K

-49.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CHF 833

$800 CFPF 82.3K

31.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 CHF 842

$783 CFPF 80.6K

35.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,455 CHF 1,949

$1,620 CFPF 166.6K

51.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 CHF 1,781

$1,323 CFPF 136.1K

69.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,339 CHF 6,620

$4,875 CFPF 501.4K

71.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,382 CHF 5,067

$3,582 CFPF 368.5K

78.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,963 CHF 5,528

$2,746 CFPF 282.4K

153.57%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Noumea: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,049 in Locarno versus $800 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 $146 in Locarno versus $99.0 in Noumea. Groceries tell a different story – $452 in Locarno vs $569 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 15%, 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 $4,069 per month in Locarno and $3,549 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 61% less in Noumea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,474 per month in Locarno and $798 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 $2,366, than in Locarno at $2,713. 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.