😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in New Caledonia versus $712 in China.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,466 in New Caledonia versus $1,131 in China.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,982 in New Caledonia versus $1,550 in China.
🌍Living in New Caledonia is roughly 33% more expensive than in China on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: New Caledonia 29% lower, China 47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.42CFPF 1,501
$2.86¥19.35
404.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.3CFPF 10.0K
$23.44¥159
310.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.50CFPF 1,509
$4.84¥32.75
199.59%
Cappuccino
$5.87CFPF 611
$3.11¥21.06
88.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49CFPF 259
$0.44¥3.00
465.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06CFPF 111
$0.29¥1.99
265.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.02CFPF 1,147
$0.98¥6.64
1024.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.63CFPF 793
$2.05¥13.88
272.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17CFPF 122
$1.84¥12.47
-36.41%
White Bread(500g)
$3.09CFPF 321
$1.62¥10.94
90.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90CFPF 198
$0.93¥6.28
104.30%
Eggs
$5.53CFPF 576
$1.63¥11.03
239.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.07CFPF 1,985
$13.15¥89.0
45.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$22.43CFPF 2,334
$3.26¥22.09
588.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$26.35CFPF 2,741
$10.62¥71.9
148.12%
Apples(1kg)
$4.20CFPF 437
$1.80¥12.19
133.33%
Banana(1kg)
$7.33CFPF 763
$1.30¥8.77
463.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.68CFPF 695
$1.46¥9.90
357.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.37CFPF 767
$1.20¥8.15
514.17%
Potato(1kg)
$3.73CFPF 388
$0.76¥5.14
390.79%
Onion(1kg)
$3.30CFPF 343
$0.88¥5.93
275.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.88CFPF 299
$0.57¥3.86
405.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53CFPF 160
$0.54¥3.63
183.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.61CFPF 2,041
$3.42¥23.17
473.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.02CFPF 1,563
$11.75¥79.5
27.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.19CFPF 540
$0.80¥5.40
548.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08CFPF 632
$1.62¥10.95
275.31%
🚌 Getting Around
New Caledonia
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.89CFPF 301
$0.43¥2.94
572.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.4CFPF 6,598
$20.47¥139
209.82%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.40CFPF 562
$1.36¥9.24
297.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00CFPF 104
$0.35¥2.39
185.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.07CFPF 2,608
$6.50¥43.97
285.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.69CFPF 176
$1.12¥7.59
50.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0KCFPF 3.5M
$19.5K¥131.8K
74.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2KCFPF 4.2M
$16.9K¥114.1K
138.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$206CFPF 21.5K
$51.7¥350
299.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.45CFPF 4,208
$10.17¥68.8
297.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.2CFPF 6,054
$11.16¥75.5
421.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.1CFPF 6,352
$39.62¥268
54.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.55CFPF 785
$14.53¥98.3
-48.04%
Cinema Ticket
$12.80CFPF 1,331
$6.38¥43.19
100.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$793CFPF 82.5K
$407¥2,756
94.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$17.8K¥120.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111CFPF 11.6K
$45.53¥308
144.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.7CFPF 6,005
$32.31¥219
78.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.7CFPF 9,645
$72.6¥491
27.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$243CFPF 25.2K
$74.4¥504
226.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Caledonia
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$752CFPF 78.2K
$443¥2,996
69.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$777CFPF 80.9K
$258¥1,747
201.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,576CFPF 163.9K
$910¥6,162
73.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,359CFPF 141.4K
$543¥3,677
150.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,769CFPF 496.2K
$4,934¥33.4K
-3.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,528CFPF 367.1K
$2,398¥16.2K
47.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Caledonia
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,756CFPF 286.8K
$1,065¥7,205
158.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.33
4.06
-42.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for New Caledonia: July 12, 2026
Last update for China: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $459 in New Caledonia, $287 in China. Capital cities: $805 in Noumea vs $894 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $2,814 in New Caledonia, $855 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 60% higher in New Caledonia.
⭐Dining out costs 138% more in New Caledonia.
⭐Public transport is 17% more expensive in New Caledonia.
⭐Salaries are 229% higher in New Caledonia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in New Caledonia.
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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or New Caledonia?
At $862 per month in China and $1,195 in New Caledonia, there's a 39% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or New Caledonia?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and New Caledonia?
Rent in New Caledonia is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in China compared to New Caledonia?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in New Caledonia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and in New Caledonia?
It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; New Caledonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
New Caledonia vs other spots: cost of living compared