Cost of Living Comparison Between New Caledonia and French Polynesia Cost of Living Comparison Between New Caledonia and French Polynesia

Name: French Polynesia
Address: PF

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in New Caledonia versus $789 in French Polynesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in New Caledonia versus $1,193 in French Polynesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,981 in New Caledonia versus $1,597 in French Polynesia.

Living in New Caledonia is roughly 20% more expensive than French Polynesia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: New Caledonia 30% lower, French Polynesia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.73 CFPF 1,509

$15.84 CFPF 1,624

-7.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.2 CFPF 9,965

$81.2 CFPF 8,320

19.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.46 CFPF 1,482

$12.08 CFPF 1,238

19.70%

Cappuccino

$5.82 CFPF 596

$4.44 CFPF 455

31.08%

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

$2.40 CFPF 246

$2.67 CFPF 274

-10.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CFPF 114

$2.11 CFPF 216

-47.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.21 CFPF 1,149

$4.87 CFPF 499

130.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 CFPF 760

$4.93 CFPF 505

50.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CFPF 127

$1.50 CFPF 154

-17.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CFPF 316

$2.76 CFPF 282

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CFPF 197

$1.68 CFPF 172

14.29%

Eggs

$5.72 CFPF 587

$7.17 CFPF 735

-20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 CFPF 1,947

$38.65 CFPF 3,962

-50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.36 CFPF 2,291

$16.50 CFPF 1,691

35.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.54 CFPF 2,618

$26.66 CFPF 2,733

-4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 CFPF 431

$5.68 CFPF 582

-25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$7.19 CFPF 737

$2.49 CFPF 255

188.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.84 CFPF 701

$6.94 CFPF 712

-1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.37 CFPF 755

$7.77 CFPF 796

-5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 CFPF 398

$2.93 CFPF 300

32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CFPF 333

$2.71 CFPF 278

19.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CFPF 306

$3.86 CFPF 395

-22.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CFPF 156

$1.17 CFPF 120

29.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.29 CFPF 1,977

$11.90 CFPF 1,220

62.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.34 CFPF 1,572

$24.41 CFPF 2,502

-37.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 CFPF 554

$2.55 CFPF 262

112.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CFPF 614

$4.78 CFPF 490

25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CFPF 301

$1.99 CFPF 204

47.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CFPF 6,377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 CFPF 549

$9.91 CFPF 1,016

-45.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CFPF 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.33 CFPF 2,596

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 CFPF 173

$1.57 CFPF 161

7.64%

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

$34.2K CFPF 3.5M

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

76.92%

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

$39.3K CFPF 4.0M

$29.1K CFPF 3.0M

34.97%

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

$203 CFPF 20.8K

$178 CFPF 18.3K

13.86%

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

$40.52 CFPF 4,153

$17.55 CFPF 1,799

130.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CFPF 5,820

$103 CFPF 10.5K

-44.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 CFPF 6,283

$75.5 CFPF 7,741

-18.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 CFPF 809

$17.85 CFPF 1,830

-55.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 CFPF 1,322

$14.57 CFPF 1,493

-11.46%

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

$786 CFPF 80.6K

$479 CFPF 49.1K

63.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,811 CFPF 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CFPF 11.3K

$98.8 CFPF 10.1K

11.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 CFPF 5,857

$87.0 CFPF 8,919

-34.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 CFPF 9,517

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$243 CFPF 24.9K

$110 CFPF 11.2K

121.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 CFPF 78.1K

$1,322 CFPF 135.5K

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 CFPF 80.5K

$1,095 CFPF 112.2K

-28.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CFPF 165.6K

$2,149 CFPF 220.3K

-24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CFPF 134.7K

$1,854 CFPF 190.1K

-29.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,845 CFPF 496.6K

$8,774 CFPF 899.4K

-44.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CFPF 368.6K

$7,922 CFPF 812.1K

-54.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,822 CFPF 289.2K

$1,934 CFPF 198.3K

45.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.33

5.4

-56.85%

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

Last update for New Caledonia: June 2, 2026

Last update for French Polynesia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $458 in New Caledonia, $532 in French Polynesia. Capital cities: $785 in Noumea vs $1,231 in Papeete.

National salary averages: $2,889 in New Caledonia, $2,100 in French Polynesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in French Polynesia.

Dining out costs 168% more in New Caledonia.

Salaries are 38% higher in New Caledonia, 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 French Polynesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,150 per month in French Polynesia and $1,181 in New Caledonia, there's a 3% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

French Polynesia is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.

Rent in New Caledonia beats French Polynesia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In French Polynesia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In New Caledonia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. French Polynesia wins on affordability; New Caledonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.