For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,410 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Noumea and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,410 in Noumea versus $934 in Cebu.
Noumea $2,410
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Noumea versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Noumea $3,800
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,190 in Noumea versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Noumea $5,190
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Noumea is roughly 158% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 80% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.86CFPF 2,220
$3.03₱191
588.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$114CFPF 12.1K
$23.48₱1,476
384.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.85CFPF 1,474
$4.09₱257
238.63%
Cappuccino
$4.68CFPF 498
$2.52₱158
85.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01CFPF 214
$1.54₱97.2
30.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27CFPF 135
$0.49₱31.06
159.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.50CFPF 1,011
$1.79₱113
430.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26CFPF 773
$2.26₱142
221.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17CFPF 125
$1.95₱122
-40.00%
White Bread(500g)
$3.58CFPF 381
$1.43₱89.9
150.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16CFPF 230
$1.02₱64.0
111.76%
Eggs
$6.13CFPF 653
$2.06₱129
197.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$30.21CFPF 3,215
$9.81₱617
207.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$27.65CFPF 2,942
$4.61₱290
499.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.19CFPF 3,000
$7.70₱484
266.10%
Apples(1kg)
$4.58CFPF 487
$3.31₱208
38.37%
Banana(1kg)
$7.29CFPF 776
$1.45₱91.2
402.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.27CFPF 668
$2.36₱148
165.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.98CFPF 849
$1.54₱96.6
418.18%
Potato(1kg)
$5.55CFPF 591
$2.36₱148
135.17%
Onion(1kg)
$3.86CFPF 411
$1.99₱125
93.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.04CFPF 430
$1.15₱72.3
251.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50CFPF 160
$0.67₱42.26
123.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.46CFPF 2,070
$3.00₱189
548.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.03CFPF 1,812
$6.35₱399
168.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54CFPF 590
$1.31₱82.1
322.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.73₱109
-
🚌 Getting Around
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.62CFPF 491
$0.25₱15.82
1748.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.65₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.96CFPF 741
$0.74₱46.44
840.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.11CFPF 119
$0.21₱13.15
428.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.46CFPF 2,284
$4.33₱272
395.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.63CFPF 174
$1.33₱83.7
22.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5KCFPF 3.5M
$21.8K₱1.4M
49.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3KCFPF 4.0M
$19.4K₱1.2M
92.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$205CFPF 21.8K
$121₱7,583
69.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.24CFPF 4,707
$14.45₱909
206.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.09CFPF 5,117
$28.29₱1,779
69.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.48CFPF 5,158
$32.68₱2,055
48.35%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.25CFPF 878
$6.39₱402
29.11%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26CFPF 1,517
$5.46₱343
161.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$759CFPF 80.8K
$273₱17.2K
177.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,318CFPF 991.4K
$8,156₱512.9K
14.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111CFPF 11.9K
$49.57₱3,117
124.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.0CFPF 6,912
$24.87₱1,564
161.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100CFPF 10.7K
$76.6₱4,817
30.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$247CFPF 26.3K
$59.3₱3,727
316.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$761CFPF 80.9K
$506₱31.8K
50.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$761CFPF 81.0K
$309₱19.5K
145.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,520CFPF 161.7K
$1,052₱66.1K
44.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,349CFPF 143.6K
$619₱38.9K
117.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,777CFPF 508.3K
$2,915₱183.4K
63.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,453CFPF 367.4K
$1,867₱117.4K
84.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noumea
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,726CFPF 290.1K
$341₱21.5K
699.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.13
7.2
-56.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Noumea
$761 31.9%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 59.3%$452
🛒Groceries & Markets
Noumea
$646 * 27.1%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 67.4%$436
🍽Eating Out
Noumea
$340 14.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 74%$251
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
$297 12.4%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 45%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
$236 9.9%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 59.8%$141
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
$77 3.2%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 43.4%$33
🚌Getting Around
Noumea
$31 * 1.3%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 50.2%$16
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Noumea
$1.3K 25.9%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 54.1%$730
🛒Groceries & Markets
Noumea
$1.5K * 29%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 67.4%$1K
🍽Eating Out
Noumea
$1.3K 24%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 76.9%$962
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
$341 6.6%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 47.9%$163
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
$523 10.1%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 59.8%$313
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
$162 3.1%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 42.3%$69
🚌Getting Around
Noumea
$71 * 1.4%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 55.9%$40
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $761 in Noumea and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Noumea pays 699% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $114 in Noumea vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $646 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Noumea vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Noumea?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Noumea or Cebu?
Average pay runs 699% higher in Noumea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Noumea and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $761 in Noumea versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Noumea and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 207% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Noumea and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,410 per month in Noumea versus $934 in Cebu – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Noumea or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,410 in Noumea, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Noumea or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Noumea, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Noumea or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Noumea and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.