Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Majuro and Noumea

For one person, living is cheaper in Majuro: $2,127 a month against $2,410 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Noumea despite lower rent and utilities.

Majuro
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands
$2,127
/mo nomad
Noumea
🇳🇨 New Caledonia
$2,410
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Majuro and in Noumea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Majuro and in Noumea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,127 per month in Majuro vs $2,410 in Noumea, rent included.

  • Majuro $2,127
  • Noumea $2,410

A couple spends around $2,970 per month in Majuro vs $3,800 in Noumea, rent included.

  • Majuro $2,970
  • Noumea $3,800

A family of three spends $3,812 per month in Majuro vs $5,190 in Noumea, rent included.

  • Majuro $3,812
  • Noumea $5,190

Majuro is about 12% cheaper than Noumea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Majuro and Noumea sit above the global median – Majuro by 59%, Noumea by 80%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.92 $9.92
$20.86 CFPF 2,220
-52.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.92 $29.92
$114 CFPF 12.1K
-73.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.56 $10.56
$13.85 CFPF 1,474
-23.75%
Cappuccino
$4.35 $4.35
$4.68 CFPF 498
-7.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 $1.79
$2.01 CFPF 214
-10.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.27 CFPF 135
59.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.48 $4.48
$9.50 CFPF 1,011
-52.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14 $5.14
$7.26 CFPF 773
-29.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.17 CFPF 125
90.60%
White Bread (500g)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.58 CFPF 381
-3.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.16 CFPF 230
-18.06%
Eggs
$5.14 $5.14
$6.13 CFPF 653
-16.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$30.83 $30.83
$30.21 CFPF 3,215
2.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.07 $11.07
$27.65 CFPF 2,942
-59.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.03 $18.03
$28.19 CFPF 3,000
-36.04%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$4.58 CFPF 487
-6.55%
Banana (1kg)
$7.14 $7.14
$7.29 CFPF 776
-2.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.93 $8.93
$6.27 CFPF 668
42.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$12.84 $12.84
$7.98 CFPF 849
60.90%
Potato (1kg)
$5.16 $5.16
$5.55 CFPF 591
-7.03%
Onion (1kg)
$5.60 $5.60
$3.86 CFPF 411
45.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.79 $3.79
$4.04 CFPF 430
-6.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.50 CFPF 160
25.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.98 $5.98
$19.46 CFPF 2,070
-69.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.99 $9.99
$17.03 CFPF 1,812
-41.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.54 CFPF 590
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 $2.91
$4.62 CFPF 491
-37.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$6.96 CFPF 741
-61.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.11 CFPF 119
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 $5.11
$21.46 CFPF 2,284
-76.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.63 CFPF 174
8.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K $25.1K
$32.5K CFPF 3.5M
-22.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K $34.8K
$37.3K CFPF 4.0M
-6.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 $252
$205 CFPF 21.8K
23.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.28 $37.28
$44.24 CFPF 4,707
-15.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$80.2 $80.2
$48.09 CFPF 5,117
66.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.80 $37.80
$48.48 CFPF 5,158
-22.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$8.25 CFPF 878
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$14.26 CFPF 1,517
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$148 $148
$759 CFPF 80.8K
-80.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,635 $2,635
$9,318 CFPF 991.4K
-71.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 $70.8
$111 CFPF 11.9K
-36.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 $40.02
$65.0 CFPF 6,912
-38.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.23 $30.23
$100 CFPF 10.7K
-69.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.1 $50.1
$247 CFPF 26.3K
-79.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$790 $790
$761 CFPF 80.9K
3.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$883 $883
$761 CFPF 81.0K
16.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,334 $1,334
$1,520 CFPF 161.7K
-12.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,262 $1,262
$1,349 CFPF 143.6K
-6.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,777 CFPF 508.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,453 CFPF 367.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Majuro
Noumea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,007 $1,007
$2,726 CFPF 290.1K
-63.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.13
-

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

Last update for Majuro: October 5, 2026

Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Majuro
$883
Noumea
$761 13.8% $122
Groceries & Markets
Majuro
$540 *
Noumea
$646 * 19.7% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Majuro
$370
Noumea
$297 19.7% $73
Eating Out
Majuro
$211
Noumea
$340 60.9% $129
Clothing & Footwear
Majuro
$86
Noumea
$236 174% $150
Sport & Entertainment
Majuro
$38 *
Noumea
$77 104% $39
Getting Around
Majuro
$14 *
Noumea
$31 * 116% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $790 in Majuro versus $761 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 171% higher in Noumea, 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 $30.00 in Majuro versus $114 in Noumea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $540 vs $646 – making Majuro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇭 Majuro
🇳🇨 Noumea
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
14:46 2:46 PM
1 h behind Majuro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,000 Capital
91,386 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Majuro Noumea 3,310 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Majuro
  • Noumea

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Majuro vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Noumea cheaper than Majuro?
Yes – Noumea is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,190 per month in Majuro and $3,614 in Noumea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Majuro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Majuro and in Noumea?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,127 in Majuro and $2,410 in Noumea. That's a gap of about 13%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Majuro and $759 in Noumea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Majuro or in Noumea?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Majuro, where all-in costs run around $2,127, than in Noumea at $2,410. In Majuro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noumea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Majuro or Noumea more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Majuro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Majuro or Noumea?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Majuro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Noumea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Majuro vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?