Cost of Living Comparison Between New Caledonia and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between New Caledonia and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $943 per month in New Caledonia vs $2,182 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in New Caledonia vs $3,216 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,981 per month in New Caledonia vs $4,250 in Australia, rent included.

New Caledonia is roughly 57% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

New Caledonia sits 30% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.73 CFPF 1,504
$16.17 A$22.54
-8.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.2 CFPF 9,931
$78.6 A$110
23.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.46 CFPF 1,477
$9.48 A$13.21
52.53%
Cappuccino
$5.82 CFPF 594
$3.56 A$4.96
63.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 CFPF 245
$2.60 A$3.62
-7.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 CFPF 113
$2.21 A$3.08
-49.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.21 CFPF 1,145
$6.47 A$9.02
73.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.41 CFPF 757
$7.19 A$10.02
3.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 CFPF 127
$1.56 A$2.18
-20.51%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 CFPF 315
$2.53 A$3.53
21.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 CFPF 196
$2.02 A$2.82
-4.95%
Eggs
$5.72 CFPF 585
$4.47 A$6.23
27.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.00 CFPF 1,940
$8.86 A$12.35
114.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$22.36 CFPF 2,284
$8.38 A$11.68
166.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.54 CFPF 2,609
$13.71 A$19.10
86.29%
Apples (1kg)
$4.21 CFPF 430
$3.23 A$4.50
30.34%
Banana (1kg)
$7.19 CFPF 734
$2.84 A$3.96
153.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.84 CFPF 698
$2.98 A$4.15
129.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.37 CFPF 753
$4.38 A$6.10
68.26%
Potato (1kg)
$3.89 CFPF 397
$2.45 A$3.41
58.78%
Onion (1kg)
$3.25 CFPF 332
$2.11 A$2.94
54.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.99 CFPF 305
$2.16 A$3.02
38.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 CFPF 155
$1.58 A$2.21
-3.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.29 CFPF 1,970
$30.61 A$42.65
-36.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.34 CFPF 1,567
$14.23 A$19.83
7.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.41 CFPF 552
$4.55 A$6.34
18.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 CFPF 612
$4.91 A$6.84
22.00%
🚌 Getting Around
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CFPF 300
$2.89 A$4.03
1.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.2 CFPF 6,355
$97.5 A$136
-36.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 CFPF 547
$3.54 A$4.94
51.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 CFPF 103
$1.75 A$2.43
-42.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.33 CFPF 2,587
$38.10 A$53.1
-33.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 CFPF 173
$1.16 A$1.62
45.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K CFPF 3.5M
$28.8K A$40.1K
18.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K CFPF 4.0M
$23.2K A$32.3K
69.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 CFPF 20.7K
$179 A$249
13.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.52 CFPF 4,139
$26.75 A$37.27
51.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.8 CFPF 5,801
$53.7 A$74.8
5.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 CFPF 6,261
$48.44 A$67.5
26.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.89 CFPF 806
$16.88 A$23.52
-53.26%
Cinema Ticket
$12.90 CFPF 1,318
$13.61 A$18.97
-5.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 CFPF 80.3K
$1,605 A$2,236
-51.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.7K A$17.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 CFPF 11.3K
$71.4 A$99.5
54.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 CFPF 5,837
$50.0 A$69.7
14.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.9 CFPF 9,485
$99.8 A$139
-6.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$243 CFPF 24.8K
$109 A$152
123.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$762 CFPF 77.8K
$1,385 A$1,930
-45.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$785 CFPF 80.2K
$1,076 A$1,500
-27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 CFPF 165.0K
$2,284 A$3,183
-29.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,314 CFPF 134.2K
$1,757 A$2,448
-25.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,845 CFPF 495.0K
$7,462 A$10.4K
-35.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,596 CFPF 367.3K
$5,617 A$7,827
-35.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Caledonia
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,822 CFPF 288.2K
$4,070 A$5,672
-30.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.33
6.35
-63.31%

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

Last update for New Caledonia: June 2, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $458 in New Caledonia vs $1,233 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $785 in Noumea and $1,548 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,889 in New Caledonia vs $3,906 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 169% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 51% more in Australia.

Public transport is 219% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 35% higher in Australia, giving New Caledonia stronger purchasing power.

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
New Caledonia vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than New Caledonia?
New Caledonia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 84% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in New Caledonia, contributing to the overall 84% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or New Caledonia?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in New Caledonia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or New Caledonia?
New Caledonia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

New Caledonia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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